




’tc. . 

c- v' > 

'P ^ ^ ^ 

xV» VVWwW * • C: ^ 

,\'^ -- ^MSBiS, - . 




' ^// 


^Wi-f . . 


« c>' ^ V> 

<r 



x°o< 


i- 

:> ^ 9 

O 

v^ •^. °yAk- 

,^V - % I* w ^ 

9- 






N (. 


aN ^ ^ 
0 o ' 


•<"/ > iJ- if ’ . t li 

,0 ' ^ ® 

lA ^ ^ ^ • 

\ 


'^o 0 


'A. 


' n 




V- V! 

^ "^^A/ ' A ■ r s. 

^ -'M-^r <=f J ) v^ \L^ 

.0 Si 0 ^ if I \ V^'" 

. 0 " ’-'“"'.A- ' v\''“'- '> 

S *= ^^^)//,yj^ ^ 'V 





0 s 0 





c; 


i,V <f\ 


. -v ^ *^ ' '/^r^^'Cv 

A, =AW* ' B 

^ C' ^ ^ y 

^ I 


. WA" ,^? 


X- K- 

l.v^-vA' = \0 ' '=^/ 

i- 




» y -Njv^ - ix i L,^iy\y ^ o> 

V ^ ^ -, 

> O 


'^ • ^ ^ ^ '■ 

aS => Vr 

, y><-^r ^ <'V ->>• ^ ^ \s^ 

cA - ^ f" ' A> X X 

0 , . ^ 0 ^ V ^ A O C a. * S '' <C> 

‘ '”'A*/A- a'^' V “'■'■- <• '^b. ..o"^ ^<--' 






, 0 o 


-t. 


> 


<■ '■ - \C^ - 

Ct ^//ik^ N V ^ 

o. AT „ . , ^ .SS^ c 5 >. -S' 


4 

% ' ^.V^ 0 

' *•''“ x> 

% s'^- * "c X^'"' “ 

•<' ^ * v: y 


c. ^ 

c/ <:' V 








^ CJ' -Nk, rj^ y 

<A 4 4 /> 

'i ^ * o ij^ ^ O 

y ^- . ^ > -■ ,>,' _ : 














» « I A ' . 



\ 


' c “ ^ 

■ = 

<^ '^-tT 


xO®x. 

’ .O’’ ^b '■* , , I-'’ X# 

■^3 < ■“ ^ „ , .V ■» A 

“ *■ " . t « . -A c 0 ‘ 

* o li- 


I y ' O 

> .<?‘ ^^" 0 / 

.C,- ‘k- 


L> 


0‘ 


*X \ 

o 0 




■i 'P 

^ 

xOo^, 


Hy 


o 




> 


j? V 


'S', c.^ 


!^^* a'' 




0 c 


'O J s 


‘ T 


'^. ’ . '^' * -v ",c. «> _ 

t> ^ 

^ ^ 0 K ^ 

,.-> <. V ' 8 >? <p 

is y^ '^, '■ 

oTo • ^ ^ ^ 8 1 ^ ’^ ’ ^ ^ 

- -. 0 ^ VJ- " V 








v 


0 






N G 


,-.»*•" -.mfA A '-^ 

cP ^\^./rr^\ 'fi^ ^ ^ ' 




% 


o5 






vO O 




V 






t/'- l /. 


*> V * ^ _ 

-8 .A 


N « 0 

/, ^ 9' ^ ^ 

' . f ■ 

- ^aSi' A , • s, A ^%. 

-b-. b <■ 


A^’ s/>^ 

\V 


ty 


o '^ / s aO 

N C . ^ ^ ts <, V * B ^ 




r 


^qO 




■^0 0'= 


J. 


^ ' 



C' ^ 

n ^ »i>' . f ^ 9 \ ^ 

s>^ »' *"^ A‘ 

/C^ 'r <? '> "^ 'P^ 

-' 4’''k^ =“ \ 

, » y\' - '. 

* ,<\ '^3 ''7/^^\s'' .(i '’ 0 , 1 . 

- 0 '^ <■ <• -'b IV » ' ' » « -b V^ ‘ 

‘ 0.0. ^''^yy?^ -' ,<r ’ 


'* A^‘ 



! y Avi~' * A 

^ O ■ 

\> ^ .9^ 

^ '' - a'^ ^ 

'. A 

■; A^'^/.. ' 

A 



AS 




v" 

.0 o 





l^ 
\ , 


I 







/ 

* 


J 






4 




» 





* 


>» 







\ 











E. A. WEEKS S COMPANY. 

CHICAGO. 


The Lucile Series. — No. 2, Sept, i, 1893. Issued Monthly. Subscription Price, $6.00 

of PVii/'ofrr, Pr»cf-nffir#» Qe «f»rnnd-r1a<s<s matter. 




WvA -yV ■ ' * ■ ■; . V - V ••■• ■- • i, :- - •■•5^ ' 


■■ ^ • : 


/*v 




^ . • 
f7/f^\' ,Tr ‘ 




"l** 




...m . 'W -^ ■' 

..r- ' 


• ■' ' ‘■- ylTj^iS^ ; ■ 


'■■•■ :- .'il- 


»» 


■ ^ ' '» , r V* * .• ( • 

' v... 

-ci-..,'‘ t , v/r ' • ^ 



. .v* '^,‘ ' J " 


s .. 



5 A ' 

• 1 

^‘V,y:,^Z 

.*.11 

' * * ii 

•% • 

. ' * N« * * 

■ •‘j 

. . • ‘ H *" 

- 


V * 


•V •'.., 



'.i .. 

T>,' '• 

k.*''V 

.sS 

■'^ .4 > 

K y 

(y •,' .'. • 


^.' • •»r ,* 


»V., • , • 



/ 


•J*:. Jrr'A MB 





V** ; 


,. *. .' 

*<.^< ' ..-T- 




V, ‘-'v 


. ^ 

^ -•> 


. 1 . • 

• ... 








■• * ' .X ■ 

• ' o\' ■ ' -' •' "* 


w ’** *? 

'fijt .. I" •' 

Ji ^ff 


i 


-#'v 






.■• ^ ' 'y\ ' - 

»k 4: / .'o,.., -v. 






«r~ 


A 


-i 


: - •■- .• *,-^J ■- ' 

^5* ' -■ . 

■ - 






> . 


V 


.k'- r • 


;\ 


V . 


'.S V, 

► '. *.,• ., , 


'■.*, \ y • .; ' 


•V'* 'V. • ' " ,. • ,^ 

• * ' ' ‘y. ... -^-v^ ••' ■ ,• • ■ 

.*■ >■ ■'■■'■ ■'. 

■' • ' ^ .v: * ■ - 

. ^ • . - :. *• • .•- > i*' ' \wt 

w*'- ■ ■ .* ■ ’ •- '■■■►' . ’■ ■ 




. '•. >'•■- '• 

. •' yo , .vv. - 

.t- ^ <' 



.-. •:<!; ■ • '--V 

n.^ ■ ' V‘> 


; ' •» • 


x' . - 


t *■ 


.4 




. *:’•.. •< * 



-. :' \ V ., 

• '• 1_ ’ 


•4.fV. 


I* -Vi 

«-'. > ,->s : 


' -S - • 

'■.;^'i.- 


r r’^r 

A >.; K>i|J 

.■'*■- - ->• 

•; 

- 5? 







' ”, .V 

’ -/ 'V 

-• ^ 

• , ' ’y.r^' 


■ -y 


I 




■ - • 


■>- <y 

•.' !.1_\ . ; 


■ , ’'I 




t- 


.^4'J 

- w'-*- ''a4 

^ 'A-;* 


' • • •* ' ■ 

• ; > •v.-. 




? ’?•■' •• 

A •.» 

r ,. , 

*■ ■ ». « V 


*■ . 




. .' '' > 0 !- 




A' 
.• ( 


""V ■■ 

/ . 






^ * 

-<• /■ 


i« 
A- ■. 


^ ., . . . , 

r</, -.A. ••'■'■ A /■’ ,• '■ ■'• 




k-. ^ 




*: V;" 




1 • . • ^ . V • * 
■* ■%• .' 


N ^ A 


-< ,. 


.':■ ,H.^,.!^^tv'' '■ ,' -.'v.'y:., , . A .‘Vr 

\: ' '■' ' '■' 5 . !■ *i'-- w/.iT- 

r ' “■ '■ ■ ',’ . ' ;’'*/t^. •' - 

t ’.V' ' '"^ ■ ' 


=i-^ 4 . 1 : 


AV :- -.y ■:' 

%‘w . '-. ^ %V 


i* 




- n''-. 




S 


I > 




> '' 
«*■ 


pgkMJvf - ■ • • 


■ ' “ • S . . » 

•'•-^* . . * ■ ‘-iSC'-t - 

, - . .. 

■‘- . • ■ • <vA35 


[fit: 


a': 




*» 


. 


•• t 


; -v’..;;, .v..''>^‘ - ^Z'". 


' y.-* 





.t C 


i 

N. 




■ •-.V'*' 




. ‘ y 




V . • 
J/ ■ 





■ " "tel 


?J«V» . .’ ■ ^ 








A KOYAL HEIRESS 







V 



% 




n 


I 


Jt 


4 




* 






\ .• 


• - >'i 




A ROYAL HEIRESS 

OR 

A YOUTHFUL ERROR 


BY 

EMILIE EDWARDS 


!.*''JAN o ■' ■ : 

- . 

■"--Jiff WASr-L^' 

/^ 4 ; 2 - 


CHICAGO 

E. A. WEEKS & COMPANY 
276 & 278 FRANKLIN ST. 




Copyright 1893 

BY Emilie Edwards 


Copyright 1893 ^7 
E. A. Weeks & Company 


To one who first inspired me with hope and confidence; 
sanctioning that encouragement with a staunch sincer- 
ity of friendship, leading me to higher planes of en- 
deavor and reflection, I dedicate, with deep grati- 
tude and respect, my first novel. 


The Author. 


PREFACE. 


People who write will usually tell you that they had 
something to say and said it. 

T(? have something to say is common, easy, we all have 
that. 

To say it, the best way, that is correctly, is difficult, 
very. 

Truth is everywhere around us, some of it is here. 

E. E. 



• f: 




< 


>. *’ * • r . 'V ' :. f' 


■J * 


.•4'' '".-r- 

,vr 


) i 



% 


J 





V 


V 



\ 





t 



/ 


s 


• N. , 


/ 



0 


{ 




A ROYAL HEIRESS 


CHAPTER I. 

Not to speak of the weather would be an unwar- 
ranted slight of conventionality ; an unnecessary one, 
a surprise to many, perhaps a disappointment to 
some, therefore, I shall speak of it. 

If complacent in aspirations to originality, one 
would not, nevertheless, make so daring a departure 
as not to do so. 

We expect, rather like a book to begin with the 
weather, and indeed what is more important ; it deter- 
mines our actions, often motives in life, governs and 
colors our spirits largely, and may not the kind of day 
descriptively given, sometimes be taken as a prefatory 
to the humor or temperament of the heroine.^ It 
seems a pleasing fancy to me, to be introduced to our 
leading character on the manner of day that might 
mirror her own nature. 

Should the sun be blazing unabatingly down on a 
stifling July day, the numerous insects buzzing a con- 
tented symphony of peace, we would certainly expect 
a warm-natured, warm-hearted, languishing and 
indolent beauty, with the very sunniest hair and 
bluest eyes whose perpetual expression would be a 
3 


4 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


smiling “Is that so , love?” sort, who would say, “No,” 
with her lips, “Yes, and Kiss me,” with her eyes. 

Leisure loving, social, care-hating divinity, who idly 
scoffs at a lecture on the proper distinction between 
some folks and some people, with but little thought, 
a character developing by the circumstances of its 
daily life, its motive or method of action or caprice, 
as the life drama flows on its erratic course. 

Onward, and with such natures often downward, 
finding their eventual vindication through the apology 
of friends, in the “emotional stress of a peculiarly 
organized temperament.” 

But the world’s excuse is, “wayward and undisci- 
blined creature who lacked the stringent guiding hand 
of a practical and experienced mother.” 

They feel all the good things of this world were 
mostly made for them, and their smile is sufficient 
recompense to receive them. 

A cold, blustering, storm-brewing day, with the 
king of our system hidden far from sight, a hastening 
blue-faced crowd with gasping breath and numbing 
fingers, causes us to frame in fancy a somewhat tur- 
bulent and aggressive spirit, one whose glance means 
something, whose smile is not an acquiescence, and 
whose words we listen to in a subdued or respectful 
silence. Nothing commonplace or meagre here, this 
is one on whom destiny places the incidents, nature 
the force of genius, to confer or convey a new char- 
acter or phase upon every stage of existence. 

The soul of a martyr, permitting no latent lying 
gift of energy — the spirit of a Corday, in love, the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


5 


devotion and courage of a De Lavalette. Yet, ruled 
by faith, blessed by prayer, won by valor, true to 
death and through eternity. 

An autumn day made beautiful by a flashing sun, 
and the soul inspiring grandeur of dying foliage. 

A little frost, a little breeze, a dashing girl, a hearty 
laugh, a buoyant gait and sparkling eye. Looking for 
fun, life, song, and happiness, meeting all in joyous 
or disdainful glee which does not to her happy heart 
contribute. Merry child, pure blossom of nature’s 
true emission. No studied folly of the times. 

A jewel whose brilliancy and sparkle is all its own, 
whose worth we all must value, and gladly give what- 
ever she may ask, her very spirit is the happy com- 
pensation. It has been a little cloudy this afternoon. 
The sun peeped out but hid again at once, as if to 
say, “I saw a good deed just then, but let me hide, a 
multitude of evil ones will surely follow.’^ 

There comes a spatter of rain, impetuous for the 
moment, now it has stopped almost cleared, but no, 
it still remains gray, quiet, and serene, suggestive of a 
grave inquiring mind that does not look to the smiles 
and light of life to find its truest joy or best fulfill- 
ment. 

Nor has she, this girl, a handsome thoughtful 
woman of twenty-four, arrayed in an armor of com- 
mon sense against conventionality, and at war with 
the scruples evolved from old time fears, she yet 
transgressed no law of right. 

The day was indeed emblematic of her soul as she 
had known it. Calm and pensive, and too grand to 


6 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


be unacquainted with tears, not knowing itself as we 
shall see, but burning with the fervid heat of progress, 
and the rights and hopes of all. Holding in that 
busy brain thoughts not generally accepted, earnest 
in following all works of literature, striving to pene- 
trate to the base of all. 

Looking at every side, sometimes praising, often 
condemning the strong, and the unjust power which 
gave the original, and still fosters that false but estab- 
lished strength. 

Beautiful beyond comparison or conception, the 
most perfect ideal of the noblest type of womanly 
beauty. 

Could one refrain from loving her, they certainly 
could not restrain an overwhelming admiration for 
her great loveliness. 

But with her acquaintance must surely come both 
love and admiration. 

And now as her blooded steed starts out in the 
brisk unflagging gait her firm hand accustoms him to 
maintain, his dilated nostrils, proudly arched neck, 
graceful and spirited mein, all bespeak the joy he feels 
in bearing the weight of his precious and loved burden. 

Horses love us. All animals love the gentle hand 
of kindness and protection. 

They form their intuitive likes and dislikes as we 
ourselves do and how many horses I and you have 
seen that carried their pitiable experiences in their 
faces; docile, gentle creatures, subject ever to ignor- 
ance, cruelty, drunken frenzy, or maudlin barbarity 
of inhuman mankind. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


7 


Handsome Regina Claremont settled into the saddle 
with the calm determination to enjoy. 

What a picture they made, this stately animal and 
his graceful rider, and as they passed down the cir- 
cling drive to the western boulevard, old Heywood 
as he slowly closed the swinging lodge gates behind 
her, bowed low down with the inculcate spirit of true 
humility as he said, “God bring you home safe. Miss 
Reggie.” And in that confident, fearless voice of 
strident independence, she answered kindly, “Restive 
will do that, Heywood.” 


CHAPTER IL 


He shook his head slowly, he thought it was all in 
the hand of Providence. This old man worshiped 
his young mistress, and her strange ideas caused him 
many a serious muttering. 

When a child, she would spend hours in the garden 
with him among the flowers; he had been the gardener 
at Brightwood for many years, until his age made 
the duties too arduous, then the old couple were 
placed at the lodge, and Betsy knitted her stockings, 
he smoked his pipe, and life for them sped on in a 
routine of monotonous calm. 

He now thougt of the many remarkable questions 
she would ask him, when but a little child, questions 
he could not answer. 

He didn’t exactly know why he had not a right to 
some of the good things of this life, but he would 
certainly not presume to think that he had. Some- 
times running along the boxed walk, or behind the 
hedge, her apron filled with bright fragrant blossoms, 
lanother little face would peep in from the outside, 
a little thing like herself and though not asking, look 
in mute appeal, and with a half shy moving away 
manner, so characteristic of the little ones of plebeian 
association, when near or looking at the prosperous 

or rich. How many times Regina would call after 

8 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


9 


them, he could see her now, her sweet pretty face 
pressed to the rustic bars of the fence and her voice 
once more as a child, saying, “Come here; come 
here, little girl; haven’t you any flowers at home, 
do you want some of mine?’’ 

Giving them all away, that was her greatest pleas- 
ure, a soul gushing even then, with generosity. 

Coming up to him she would ask, “Why don’t they 
have flowers, Heywood?” 

“Because they are poor and have no garden or 
grounds, and live in a little house owned by a rich 
man,” he would answer. 

“Then they have no house, or garden, or flowers?” 

“They have nothing, my child.” 

“But why? why. Hey wood? We have everything,” 
she would add almost wistfully. 

The old man was thinking this out to himself 
now, as she rode away out of sight. Then he wiped 
his cheek and cleared his throat, saying, as if to him- 
self, “God bless her dear heart.” 

This November afternoon the dampness of the air 
freshened and dyed her cheeks, until they glowed with 
the voluptuous crimson of the rose. Regina was an 
only daughter, an only child. She had those peculiar 
gray-green eyes we search the world to find, opales- 
cent, at times, almost transparant in their thoughtful 
purity. 

Possessing that singular directness of gaze, itself 
an added charm to their radiant hue, changing with 
a thought from the shade and beauty of a gray pearl, 
to the midnight blackness of starless night. Her 


10 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


fine dark hair coiled in the smoothest of knots. No 
rebellious curls or fluffy disorder betrayed a hasty 
or studied negligence of toilet. All was in place 
just where it should be, no crimps, frizzed or singed 
bangs, burlesqued the soft curls of nature. 

Here there were no curls, no attempt at any, her 
fine thick tresses glistening in their well kept and 
c mpact quantities, were indeed a true exemplification 
of a woman’s crowning glory. 

How her eyes shone as with head proudly, almost 
haughtily erect she faced the sharp breeze. 

There was no indication that she felt it, and she 
didn’t, for the habit of her life was a cold morning 
bath, always preceded by the pliant, corsetless exercise 
which gives full freedom of grace and perfect circula- 
tion. How the blood leaped and responded now to 
the healthy exercise, caused by the horse’s action. 

How free she felt, how brave and fearless in thought 
or spoken word. 

Had one said to her, ‘‘You look a veritable queen,’’ 
she would have ignored the comparison in utter silence. 
She was the peer of any who lived upon the inherited 
privileges of power, and knew that loyalty within, 
could alone beget a royal heart. 

Born amidst the very conditions her present ideas 
wholly repudiated, she was of course compelled for 
self protection to submit to the environment. 

She knew that ownership widens personality, gives 
power to work and carry out its will and, since she 
was destined to live under a system, she felt blessed 
in the almost limitless wealth which alone made it 
possible to do much good. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


II 


One evening in a burst of zeal, she had all the 
servants gathered in the drawing-room, where she 
delivered an oration on the ideal constitution em- 
bracing universal equity. 

Being young, she advocated that all men were 
born equal, forgetting that practically, the brain 
makes that an impossibility. 

Standing amidst these descendants of penniless, ig- 
norant, downtrodden victims of superstitious royalty 
ridden countries, overworked, underfed, degraded 
through poverty, from lands where the universal 
surplus of anything is erroneously supposed to be 
population. 

Here in her glorious beauty and eloquence, she 
talked to these benighted beings of equality. But 
they had not fairly reached the first strata of under- 
standing, and analysis was many generations ahead. 

Among themselves later they talked in whispers. 

They were born to service, their parents were serv- 
ants for generations before them, and naturally they 
inherited the slow-coursing blood of servitude and 
submission. 

It is not so much the blood of birth and ancestry 
that makes us, but that whole-souled, heroic defiance, 
and ability to subdue conditions when not too strong, 
nature has planted in the breast of many of the most 
humble. 

The history of the great, is but a record of the poor. 

Reaching the far stretching line of the boulevard, 
Regina drew lightly on the rein. Immediately a slow 
canter followed the former pace. 


12 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Without turning to the right or left, she knew they 
were passing in the vicinity of much genteel poverty, 
much refinement and outward show of ease, but ah, 
the heartaches at the demands of custom, the head- 
aches, over the plannings to conceal 

Though coming out for the run, which in itself she 
so dearly loved, this studious, gentle girl must ever sink 
into the contemplation habitual to her. 

She no longer thought of herself or her intended 
pleasure. 

Just here a beggar has nearly fallen or been thrown 
under her horse’s feet, in his earnest efforts to attract 
her attention. 

Would she, this proud looking, elegant lady from 
the class that indirectly breeds such creatures, stop to 
aid him.^ 

Yes, and with the silver, a kind word. 

If he were unworthy those words of sympathy, the 
heart feeling they conveyed, gave food for thought, 
and would awaken any lingering spark of manhood, 
but if worthy, how well was she or are we all repaid, 
for a word of kindness to the miserable. 

A lingering spark of manhood did I say? that was 
wrong, manhood or womanhood seldom dies, it is 
wretchedness that overpowers it. 

“Have we grown wise in civilization?’^ she said to 
herself. 

“Are we civilized?” a curious sort of an expression 
played around her lips. 

Patting her horse’s neck she talked to him as to 
one of her kind, and he, if not an intelligent listener, 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


13 


was at least a silent one, and he softened his gait to 
her gentle tones as they passed through the v/ooded 
lanes and winding roads, far into the country, miles 
away from Brightwood. 


CHAPTER III. 


“With all my wealth I scarcely know how to do 
much good, this constant patching is not aid.” 

“Plow very rich I am,” and looking up she knew the 
vast tract of fertile acres she was now passing would 
some time be her own. 

“Ah, Reggie, my pet,” her father had said to her a 
few days before, “Reggie, my girl,” he repeated, look- 
ing at her wonderful eyes whose mystic shade recalled 
to him vividly at that moment her dead mother’s, 
“you will be a great prize for some lucky fellow one 
of these days, eh, sweetheart; but what will your 
old father do without you,” he added playfully. 

“Don’t, father, I shall never leave you,” there was 
no smile at the allusion of a lover or husband. 

To her, Jove would be a serious encounter when 
met, and that too whether slowly grown, or instantly 
kindled. 

Her love would contain the elements of a tragedy, 
undying intensity. 

Of a depth and resolution that would rise or fall 
by the conviction of heart alone, capable of every 
sacrifice but honor. 

Life would be nothing. 

Not her riches, her vast possessions, but herself 
would be the treasure for that “lucky fellow,” and no 
14 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


15 


one knew it better than her indulgent and doting 
father. 

Another time he asked if she feared a fortune 
hunter might win her love, her answer was attended 
with the smiling disdain that marked her whole 
character when referring to the follies and hypocricies 
her open nature so thoroughly despised. “When I 
meet the man I love; papa, that man will not ques- 
tion whether I be rich or poor. And,^’ she ended, 
“let us hope it will be many years yet.^^ 

And laying her head against his shoulder, added: 
“I only want my own dear father’s love.^’ 

This was but a few days before. Fate, fate! how 
fantastically, nay, cruelly you sometimes beguile your 
helpless and ignorant children. 

If any one could have whispered in her ear as she 
rode through the lane now, “The time has come, 
you will meet to-day, ’tis destiny, and unchangeable. 
The paths will cross and intertwine for good or ill, 
to end as one or two but time alone can tell.” 

How amused she would have been, cynically smil- 
ing in unbelief. 

The curling up of the corners of her - mouth would 
doubtless be her only sign of derisive incredulity. If 
any expression of language aroused her sarcasm, it 
was this hackneyed one of “meeting one’s fate.” Her 
eyes had never sought a lover, her heart had formed 
no ideal, she had known no fitful passion, no balked 
or thirsty sentiment. Not a throb within her breast, 
no subtle stirring had moved the placid waters of her 
life. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


i6 


Genera] Claremont and his daughter were unusually 
dear to each other, it could be noticed even in their 
daily rides together, that being a pastime of which 
they were both equally fond. They made a most 
attractive pair, his snow-white hair and dignified 
bearing; her noble and magnificent beauty, and his 
heart would swell with honest pride at the many 
glances and flattering comments her lovely face would 
constantly elicit. And after a sharp run, they canter 
up the drive, and he helps her down telling her he is 
proud and happy to be her father, and she adds, “If 
you but had a son, I a brother, would you not be 
happier?” 

At that reply, a cloud would pass over his face, he 
would quickly stoop as though to adjust or examine 
the stirrup, thus concealing from his quick-eyed 
daughter the expression of pain his strong will would 
fail to entirely control. An anguish born perchance 
of some hidden thought or bitter memory, which 
would not have failed to arouse the closest question- 
ing had her earnest eyes ever perceived it. 

Raising his face at such times, there was depicted 
a suffering that a student of human nature would 
attribute to but one cause, remorse. Could this man 
of unimpeachable honor have ever been guilty of a 
deed in early life, at anytime in life, the far reaching 
and evil consequence of which sap in eternal regret 
the healthy springs of life, that wither and stunt 
through self-condemnation and a hopeless agony, 
the highest aspirations of the soul. Has this noble 
man whose proudest boast might be his stainless 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


17 


honor, asprovedby years of a daily life of spotless 
virtue and goodness, even been guilty of a crime, a 
relationship productive of evil, a liaison encouraging 
a folly, an offense or misdeed of any nature that 
might in future years rise up no spectre, but a vivid 
and terrible reality the evil results of an early and 
serious indiscretion, that awakens in the night and 
tortures it’s victim with a poignant and unceasing 
grief, a living, ghastly, never-ending horror of shame, 
memory and remorse? Yes. 

I have said this father and child were remarkably 
near to each other. 

Her own private fortune, free accession to his, not 
a wish half ventured, ere it was complied with, life 
gives no more. 

The keen nature of their attachment w'as no doubt 
largely due to the early and untimely death of 
Regina’s young mother, when the child was but five 
years of age. 

She was also, as could be seen by a large picture in 
the gallery, a woman of great beauty of face and 
figure. Her fleecy draperies in luxurious transpar- 
ency scarcely concealed the outlines of her perfect 
bust and shoulders. 

A deplorable, cruel accident had been the cause 
of her sudden and youthful death. Her husband’s 
pistol was on the bureau where it had often lain be- 
fore; this morning, it was always supposed, she picked 
it up carelessly striking the hammer, or was idly ex- 
amining it and thoughtlessly pulled the trigger, at any 
rate it was discharged and the terrified occupants 


i8 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


rushed to her aid, but to see her final gasp, and silent 
death. She never spoke again. 

It had been a cause of much sorrow to the general 
that his wife expired during his absence, and this 
shocking calamity overwhelmed him for a time, 
years, but as his little daughter grew to resemble 
her and developed her graces, air, and manner, he 
sought to be reconciled to his great loss, and in the 
complete affection and companionship of his child, 
soften the decree, and bury a grief, if never lessened 
in its nature, might in the performance of all the 
duties towards the living, make him bear it less 
wholly and selfishly in his thoughts. 

We should not grieve too long or desparingly, but 
believe they are gone to the fulfillment or perfection 
of a higher destiny, the wisdom or purpose of which, 
we may not now hope to know or understand. 

The night Regina was born, the general, then a 
man of forty, sat by the bedside of his wife, holding 
her hand in tender encouragement. 

During the lulls of peace they discussed the ex- 
pected heir exhaustively. 

Certainly it would bean heir, for Helena Claremont 
in the fixed belief that the mental wholly governs and 
subdues the physical, closely followed every rule, and 
performed each condition, determined that nature 
whether or no, should stamp her patent of sex in 
masculinity, on this child. 

But nature was ironical in perversity, and treated 
her subjects with the usual disdain of absolute power. 

They exchanged hopes and opinions regarding his 
health, appearance and pursuits. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


19 


The general, like a happy school-boy, planned his 
occupations and pleasures, he should be an ideal son. 

‘‘He must be called after you, dear Reginald;’^ said 
the wife laying her hand softly on his arm. 

“Yes, yes, as you say, sweetheart, but he must look 
like you for none are fairer.” 

In the morning the nurse held towards him a bun- 
dle of lace and flannel, which she specifically an* 
nounced with the indifference of professional brevity 
as — “A girL” 

Their disappointment was great indeed, but soon 
forgotten, the mother often declaring that she blessed 
the day her self-imposed task of sex creation had 
proved a failure. 

And so, the Reginald that would have been, be- 
came Regina, and as her father noted her growing 
charms, maturing intelligence, ready thought and 
wise convictions, there lingered no shade of regret in 
his heart, this girl had not been born a boy. 

Often in the quiet evenings her father would look 
up at the likeness of her mother and relating some 
incident of their happy married life ask: “Reggie, 
don’t you recollect such and such an occurrence.^” 

And she would reply, often with tears in her beauti- 
ful eyes, “I can only recall when I fell from Salmon 
Jack, the little yellow pony you first brought me, a 
lady in white seemed to rush towards me, but I can- 
not remember her. Ah, if I only could. Sometimes 
there comes to my mind a vague something that 
takes no definite form. It is not a memory, more 
a lingering phantasy a faintly recurring, far-away 


20 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


shadow of a dream, an unconscious recognition 
of a former impression. I feel I retain the mem- 
ory more perfectly then I recall it. I can only 
regret, revere her loss, I never felt her love, nor 
can I truly say I feel or ever felt her loss; for 
you, papa, have been father, mother, all to me, 
cease to grieve and let me comfort and be all to you.” 

“And so you are, my child,” he would answer with 
a deep sigh. “My all, myself, and not a part of me.” 

In this house, guarded by the most indulgent 
parent, cherished in the tenderest love, was she 
reared. 

It was a grand old place, of massive dimensions; 
its gables and towers made one think of an old castle, 
impressive in its grandeur to those born to a lowlier 
destiny. It might from its structure have figured in 
olden story, and held captive in its gloomy towers 
some beauteous and pining maiden. Yet with all this 
magnificence of ownership and power Regina battled 
with a constant and farreaching discontent, for she 
looked upon her life as useless, in spite of all she 
was daily doing, weighing steadily upon her mind 
amid this fountain of plentitude, through no reason 
save a loyal sense of right, were cherished the undying 
principles of opposition to, what she seriously con- 
sidered, the evils and tyranny of wealth. 


CHAPTER IV. 


“Oh,” she was now saying to Restive, with her 
thoughts deeply buried in the problem, “that there 
should be such a word as ^charity!’ that there should 
be an enforced condition that entails or accepts it! 
How I hate the word for the ineffable suffering its 
very name conveys. Justice, only, is the living 
watchword of the human race,” she cried aloud, and 
her voice sounded sweetly musical amidst the natural 
silence of the surrounding hills. 

It was growing late. Suddenly coming to herself 
she straightened up in the saddle, and glanced 
around. Thinking to give her horse a brief breath- 
ing spell she drew rein. 

They were miles from home on the verge of a dense 
forest; how she exulted in the privilege of loneliness, 
it vibrated through her heart with a joy inconceivable 
to the bustling pleasure seeker, or the worldly worn. 
The leaves as they whispered in loving and rustling 
contact, gave forth a sighing cadence that quivered 
through her every nerve, then soothed her back to 
gentle peace. 

From the south now came a warm.er breeze, bearing 
upon its wings light vapor that flecked the whole sky 
and became roseate in hue, when the sun touched 
with purple light the summit of the hills far above 

21 


22 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


the surface of the river, from which, in morning’s 
dewy light, went up in myriads of spiral threads, 
a mist, softly as a spirit, that quickly melted in the 
ray of the day’s first beam. 

Now she slips from the horse, and stands silently 
by his side. 

He wanders a few steps away then, reaching up, 
bites at the fast withering leaves on the trees. Early 
autumn is so artificially beautiful. The city lay far 
away to the south-west, the great city of New York. 

She turned her thoughts from its painful misery and 
crime, to the sweeping Hudson that gleamed like a 
broad ribboned sash of silver through the trees here 
and there far off to the west. 

Miles from Fordham. 

Our heroine was born but a short distance from the 
famous spot where dwelt that restless and afflicted 
soul, who penned, “Once upon a midnight dreary,” 
and passed through the heavy shadows into silence. 

Standing on a slight elevation, nature, grand and 
solemn, inspired her soul with awe. Her thoughts 
crowded thick and fast upon a vivid imagination^ 
wandered almost without purpose over the whole 
visible universe and her own relative littleness in 
comparison. 

“Here am I,” she said, her eyes raised to the sky 
w'hich had now cleared, the day going out in all the 
splendor of a brilliant sunset’s dying glory, “trying 
with a finite mind to grasp the infinite.” 

A few stars were now beginning to show themselves, 
although it was still day. “If we could but leave this 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


23 


planet’^ she mused, ‘^visit those sparkling units that 
rivet, dazzle, fascinate us, but scarcely reward our 
curiosity and search for truth. Who can attain 
truth with mortal’s shaded senses.^ Oh heart and 
life!” she cried, raising her empty hands and clasp- 
ing them on the pommel, her whole attitude and 
manner betraying an eager inner search for the 
outward and responsive truth. 

Strange words she then repeated. It seemed as if 
the door long sealed within her soul was now about 
to loose its iron bands. 

“Empty heart,” she said, “with its minimum of 
struggling knowledge, could we but understand the 
universe!” 

She believed she understood herself, her natural 
bent and one desire, the mind’s unvaried longing. 

“How gladly would I die to-night, if all could taste 
through that, the draught of perfect freedom.” 

The rays of the sun fell aslant the dappled chestnut 
steed, and his shining coat gleamed with the lustre 
of satin. 

She passed her hand slowly over his noble flank 
again and again. 

This mistress of the world’s best gifts, as reckoned 
to-day, was happier^ in this solitude, her horse an 
only companion, than as the feted belle in the draw- 
ing-rooms of the rich and great. 

Now, for the first time in her twenty-four years, 
she experienced a singular emptiness of heart. 

Restive turned his head at her soft strokes. 

“What are you thinking of, my pet.^” she whispered. 


24 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Her own thoughts had dropped from the sky to the 
mysterious and curious phenomenon of mental action. 
The wonderful laws of association, the subtle changes 
and quick flashes of wit and fancy, the curious play 
of volition, the impulse of desire, the unexplained 
mysteries of lights and shadows that come and go 
upon the field of consciousness. 

For these phenomena of the inner life there are no 
charts or diagrams. 

“We may discover new arts and sciences, new stones 
and metals,” she mused, “but who can discover a new 
passion.” 

And with her thoughts so engrossed the lovely 
eyes changed from their gray transparency to black, 
fai away they looked, as if seeking to traverse the 
mighty depths of space they had a few moments be- 
fore so seriously conjured upon. 

Again she repeated softly, “No one can discover a 
new passion.” 

She sighed, one to see her would question if she 
were in ecstasy, grief or despair. 

At that moment the sound of flying hoofs reached 
her ear, a man passed rapidly, twenty yards away. 
He wheeled around and approaching the silent girl, 
raised his hat saying, “Anything wrong i In difficulty.^” 

She looked up into his face, his eyes, which looked 
back at her a half smiling interest, a face on which 
were indelibly stamped character and pride. 

Hair just tinged, as he lifted his hat, one could 
not fail to note the slight wave from the temples. 

A close trimmed beard, untouched by the hand that 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


25 


had Iain its finger on the brow. Young to an ex- 
perienced eye possibly thirty-one, no more. 

The vigor of a well-bred youth betrayed itself in 
every action. 

She did not reply. 

It was natural he should feel perplexed for a 
moment ^t the silence, but he readily continued: 

“Seeing you dismounted I thought” — then he 
stopped; the conclusion of the sentence was to have 
been — “it but a duty to inquire” — but he never finished 
those words. 

What strange sweet thing was borne upon that 
mutual glance! 

With a visible effort Regina now answered him: 
“There is no trouble, nothing the matter, I was rest- 
ing my horse and — thinking.” 

Without removing her eyes fromhisface, — shecould 
not, magnetic, noble, as it was, — there started from 
his glance a strange, stirring, something of response 
in her heart to impressions not formed into thoughts 
in no degree, yet realized by herself. 

He was gone. 

She had indulged a day-dream, and she awoke from 
it with feelings of surprise, interest, joy and pain. 

She sought to penetrate the gathering gloom that 
had so quickly hidden him from sight. Indescribable 
emotions thrilled her to the very core of her being; 
he had come so suddenly upon her, so suddenly dis- 
appeared, it could not be reality. 

Yet recalling his fine presence and figure, almost 
military air, firm seat, and perfect freedom in the 


26 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


saddle, his noticeable refinement, all attested to her 
confused and wandering senses, that the experience 
was no delusion. What could it be, a ne^v world 
had opened to her eyes, her very soul seemed shaken. 

The damp approaching gloom of the woods sent an 
icy chill to her heart. 

“Shadow! Phantom, it cannot be reality.” 

Restive nibbled at her sleeve. 

“Ah, Restive,” she cried, clinging around his neck, 
“what is this new light which stirs m}^ heart with such 
ardent feeling.^” 

She herself believed yet, she was the sport of some 
fantastic vision. 

But no! he was now too firmly implanted in the 
tissues of her brain. 

For the first time she had met a man upon whom 
she did not look with an indifferent eye, a man that 
compelled an involuntary, a deep-rooted kindling of 
sensations no heart can fathom or pen describe. 

The tones of his voice came pleasantly to her ear. 
Half dreamily she turned the horse’s head towards 
home; half unconsciously, half aloud she murmured: 
“Who can discover a new passion.!^” 

Hastily collecting the reins she sprang into the 
saddle, gave Restive his head, and in a few moments 
the forests of upper Fordham were left far behind. 

On with the rapidity of the breeze flies her horse, 
on with the speed of lightning fly her thoughts, peri- 
lous, uncontrollable. 

“No new passion,” said those thoughts, and her 
heart beat faster and faster, 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


27 


“No new passion, no new passion!’^ flashes from 
her brain in metred rhythm to the horse’s pace. 

The blood now rushes through her veins like living 
flame, what means this warring contradiction of heart 
and mind. 

What has happened to her, where is her accus- 
tomed calm, her old grave feelings, that heart that 
had never yet wavered in its direct perceptions 
What meant its wild unruly throbs.^ 

It seemed to her so unaccountably moved that she 
could hear its beating high above the flying feet of 
the leaping steed whose empty and resounding clatter 
now awakened a hundred reverberrating echoes on 
the hard asphalt pavement of the broad and dimly 
lighted avenue. 

The stars appeared in myriads. In this strange in- 
toxication she seemed within the sphere of heaven. 

A hoarse vibrating chime struck seven, its harsh 
tone jarred her slightly, an inarticulate sound from 
her lips as they pass an old familiar turn. 

Faster and faster by the houses growing thicker, 
faster and faster towards the home growing nearer! 
A little farther on they reach the knotted elms, a 
clump of old intwined trees which were ever signalled 
as a near approach to Brightwood. 

They are on the last quarter, like a bird suddenly 
let loose in joyous freedom he courses on, past a 
stolid policeman wearily standing still, by a bewil- 
dered lamp-lighter who stares in some alarm, past 
some gaping visitors who gaze in silenced fear, they 
dash furiously on up to the gates of Brightwood. A 


28 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


moment’s pause to gather strength, a mighty leap, 
he clears them well, alive to the spirit of the deed, 
he continues his mad gallop, up the drive, past the 
house rising gloomy and austere in the gathering dark- 
ness, by, almost over the dogs, barking a glad 
welcome, up to the very stable door. 

Without a second’s pause, slipping from the saddle, 
she lays her hand upon the horse’s chest, as though 
to feel his temperature, a few gentle pats, he rubs his 
velvet nose against her soft cool cheek. She turns 
away. 

Slowly starting for the house, a short distance, 
a long snorting breath reaches her ear, pausing she 
calls in a voice, she cannot recognize as her own, 
“Treat him extra well to-night, Jesse, he has had a 
hard run.*^ 


CHAPTER V. 


“I should think he had/’ was Jesse’s mental reply. 

“Tired, ain’t you, old boy?” he said, as he carefully 
rubbed each leg. 

One of the carriage horses neighed in friendly 
welcome. Restive answered, then showed his teeth 
and laid back his ears in playful fierceness. 

Though playful, his spirit often needed to be kept 
in check, and on the road required the guidance of 
a practiced hand of skill, he was not a “lady’s horse.” 

With the great St Bernard, Dombey, yelping and 
leaping around her in excessive demonstration of joy, 
Regina walked hurriedly up the path across the lawn, 
to a group of trees which concealed a rustic seat. 

It was dark and damp, but she had forgotten that. 

Throwing herself with a long trembling sigh on the 
seat she tried to think. 

Her throbbing temples and troubled heart prevented 
it. 

Partly realizing protection from the damp earth 
necessary, she raised her feet, and placed them on 
the warm body of the affectionate dog who had 
stretched himself on the ground before her. 

She could not adapt herself to the proportions this 
pretentious spectre had assumed within her breast. 

29 


30 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


What we are ignorant of, is most difficult to com- 
prehend. 

This obvious and convincing change in herself was 
almost a mystery of horror. Pressing her burning 
hands to her head, her heart, then she sat bolt up- 
right facing herself as it were, determined to look 
squarely and honestly into her jumping and terrified 
heart. 

In a voice faint and sinking to an inaudible whisper, 
she said fearfully to herself ‘‘What is it.^ What has 
come to me; this is a fatality I cannot alter. What 
ails me.^ Speak! speak, my heart. What has come 
to you.^” and the answer seemed to come from that 
heart whose best light had hitherto been somewhat 
obscured by a sturdy reason, not before allowed to 
analyze its own inward structure, it now spoke, 
“Do not question me, you cannot, I am no longer 
here, no longer yours, this agitation, this almost 
sickening, yet happy pain you feel is but the bursting 
of the shell, the bird will find its mate though some- 
times long in seeking.^’ 

The inner voice had ceased. 

Who was he.^ How was it, they had never met be- 
fore, her whole life had been spent among those old 
hills. 

A stranger, he showed in that meeting of a moment 
the culture of foreign travel. 

Would they ever meet again 

His image now rose to her mind in perfect distinct- 
ness of outline. 

“Can this be the love brought in an instant to life, ^ 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


31 


I have ever so contemptuously ridiculed,” she 
whispered doubtfully to herself. “Is this the sentiment 
I have called absurd and unnatural, whose only ex- 
istence was possible in the imaginative brain of the 
vulgar and sensational novelist? Has this love come 
to me, to me, who hitherto found the only joy in 
dreaming of the revolution of nations and the redemp- 
tion of the world?” 

There was a swishing gliding rustle at her feet, 
then a little further off, a snake hurried away among 
the dead dry leaves. 

It was time to go in. 

Rising she crosses the lawn, Dombey close at her 
heels, she dropped her ridingwhip but didn’t stop to 
pick it up, probably didn’t know she had dropped it, 
possibly didn’t care. A beautiful full moon, she 
didn’t see it, a dog bayed in furious clamor from a 
neighboring estate, it did not reach her ears. 

They enter the side door, no dreary space of cheer- 
less dimensions reaches the eye, but on every hand 
soft sensuous luxury. Reaching the great oaken 
stairway she is proceeding to her own apartments, 
when the patter of Dombey’ s feet on the polished 
floor of the hall falls on the ears of General Claremont 
who is comfortably reading his evening papers in the 
drawing-room beyond. 

“Reggie, are you there?” he called. 

No answer. 

“Reggie!” again he repeated. 

The patter of the feet died away, the girl had heard 
nothing, the voice of that dearly loved father had 
failed to break the spell. 


3 ^ 


A ROYAL HLIRRSS 


Reaching her own room she touched a silver bell. 

“Made,” she said, “heap up the grate, make a 
blazing fire to-night. I am cold, freezing,” and a 
shudder shook her whole frame. All her former fire 
had departed, she trembled from head to foot. 

Soon the sound of crackling flames and flying 
sparks broke the unusual stillness. Dombey lay con- 
tentedly on the ample Lybian rug before its warmth. 

Macie silently removed the closely fitting habit, and 
boned waist — the beauteous outlines never having 
been defiled by heath destroying monstrosities of vani- 
ty and ignorance — and placing a soft woolen dress- 
ing-gown about her mistress’ fair shoulders, retired. 

Regina, though in the habit, and preferring to per- 
form those little offices for herself usually, yielded 
this evening without a protest. 

She was alone, rising quietly she slowly crossed the 
room and locked the door, then turning, she threw 
herself full length upon the floor beside the sleeping 
brute, and gave herself up to the impassioned relief 
of tears. 

Aware of her weakness and folly, she yet sobbed 
on. Dombey, dog-like, sniffed at her hair, then tried 
to push his nose between her hands, to show his 
sympathy. But such nonsense could not last long. 

“My will shall always govern my emotions,” she 
had been fond of saying. 

“Yet I do not know myself now,” she thoughts 
sitting up and gazing with eyes that rivalled in their 
burning depths, the fire before her. “I have lost my 
force of reasoning. I who have lived in the path, 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


33 


willingly, voluntarily walked in the soinbre plodding 
steps of judgment, gilding no recollections of the past 
with a coloring not their own, anticipating and hoping 
for the future emancipation of thought, and freedom 
from the bondage of error. 

“Ever foremost in my mind, ‘what might be,’ 1 
like a weak creature who never had a thought, natural 
or acquired, sink down before this mighty power of 
imagination. Have I been wrong in my reason- 
ing, mistaken conceptions for realities only to find in 
this the one reality.^” 

“Who can discover a new passion,” came slowly 
almost defiantly to her mind, and aware if there were 
no new passions for the world, there were for the 
individual, she arose as one who had been vexed by 
a doubtful problem, but had found its true solution. 

She seemed held in a spell of infinite magic. Stand- 
ing silently in the center of the room she stretched 
out her arms as if the dawning knowledge of truth 
intoxicated her. Insensible to all but the stirring 
ecstasy of the moment, unseen, except by the great 
eloquent eyes of the dog, she felt a settled calm steal 
over her. A long sigh of happiness, a smile of half 
satisfied yearning. The struggle was over, the 
anguish abated, the mind composed. Love was born. 


CHAPTER VI. 


That sigh seemed to be the acquiescence of a con- 
tented and willing submission. 

A radiant expression of joy lit up her incomparable 
beauty. 

Her lips opened and closed as if one second to let 
her secret fly forth to the world, and the next shut 
it fast within her own breast. 

Should she tell her father.^ 

Her thoughts halted in doubtful meditation, no 
fear of opposition, but more through a consideration 
of wisdom, would she at present remain silent. 

They might never meet again, at that thought her 
heart contracted in unspeakable pain. They would 
meet, they must, would he love her too, would he 
think her fair.*^ 

Tender and expectant heart, he could not do 
otherwise. 

The girl looked around, this was the room left but 
a few hours before, with her heart full of bitterness 
for the wrongs of races, the unfeeling arrogance of 
wealth, the tyranny of power. 

On this very rug she had stood, how long ago.^^ 
glancing at the Dresden clock, it that moment 
sounded eight. 

Five hours only, it seemed years to her, she was 
34 


A ROVAL HEIRESS 


35 


another being, surely another woman. Looking 
around at the profusion of rich tapestries and silken 
hangings embroidered in silver and gold, the Turkish 
designs of fabulous value and beauty, splendor that 
would have enchanted and held speechless and fasci- 
nated most any beholder unaccustomed to them. But 
of all this she gave no thought. Years ago, she had 
read a story, a love story, that bristled on every 
page with adventure and heroism, and it was of its 
title she now thought. 

“My Love and Noble Lord.^’ 

She recalled no part of the tale only the title. She 
commenced to dress humming an improvised air to 
herself, these words fitting themselves in a hundred 
variations to the melody. 

Over and over again, while her face grew bright 
and happy, she was swallowed up and lost in the light 
of this great love, and thought of, desired nothing 
but its consummation. 

“Why think of the misery of the world; can I alle- 
viate it.^’^ she said. 

“No, such stern thoughts but murder joy and banish 
peace, I cannot change the world, an approach to my 
fond dreams of the past are at best but a far off 
reality. Ages after we are dust many see the en- 
lightened thoughts of reason gain a foothold, not 
before. No, I will live for — him.’’ 

To live for duty is doubtless noble, but love is the 
best good, I must be loved and love as others do, to 
reap from life its brightest blessing. 

What is this extravagance of decoration, these 


36 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


ponderous ornaments, and rare mosaics, what are 
riches, honor, fame, the world or life, compared to 
love; naught, that is all. 

Let those in humble homes with love be glad, for 
that is king of all the treasures God bestows. 

Now she is all animation and song. A hasty 
douche, a smoothing of the raven braids, a passing 
glance in the mirror. 

Will he love me.^ When shall we meet again 

Donning a plain dark-green silk dinner-dress with 
flowing laces at the throat and wrists, and fastening 
a little brooch of pearls at the neck, she trips lightly 
down to dinner. How often her happy laugh rang 
out, the merry toasts she gave over their wine. Never 
had her father seen her so blythe. She had dropped 
the serious moralizing tone habitual to her. In the 
drawing-room, she picks up a book of poems, reading 
a passage here, a measure there, then getting up walks 
about, a restless nervous air pervades her whole 
demeanor. 

At length going to the piano, she idly turns the 
leaves of a folio, running her long fingers lightly over 
the keys, and turning the pages, she is about to sing, 
yet sees nothing that just pleases her humor, but 
now, ah yes, ‘‘My heart,” her clear mezzo strikes out 
with all its cultured tone and beauty, her whole 
soul in the words,“My heart feels a new born emotion 
it never has known before.” 

“You never sang so well, Reg,” said her happy 
father. 

“I never felt so well,” answered the girl dreamily. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


37 


Ten o’clock. 

“Good night, father.” 

“Good night, my darling.” 

As she closed her eyes to sleep one could have heard 
in a low tone coming from her lips “My Love and 
Noble Lord.” 


CHAPTER VII. 


The next morning the recollection of the meeting 
of the previous day crowded with a hundred doubts 
into her mind. She was not so sanguine nor so 
happy as she had been the night before. What was 
his character? what was he? who he was, amounted 
to little, what he was, everything to her. 

How high bred and handsome he looked as he rode 
away. 

‘^Oh, I will not think of him,” she cried impatiently, 
and springing out of bed took her exercise and bath 
and descended to the breakfast-room. 

The birds singing as she entered, awakened the 
most pleasurable feeling intensified by the presence of 
love. 

After greetings, the general said: 

“I have by the morning’s mail a note from a gen- 
tleman who has thus far lived on the continent, but 
has decided to settle here and devote his time to the 
breeding of blooded horses.” 

“English?” asked Regina. 

“He doesn’t say,” replied the general. 

“Bertrand Eltham, unusual name, Eltham.” 

“Yes, but don’t you recollect we met a family by 
that name at a spa, three seasons ago ? There was no 
son, however,” added the girl. 

38 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


39 


Then reaching out her hand for the letter, a 
chirography we are apt to associate with a staunch 
business method met her eye. “He says little of 
himself,” she continued. 

“Yes, merely mentions letters of introduction, 
among them one for me from Major Alton, at present 
in England, you know,” replied her father. 

“He has taken Baisley Place, why that is only six 
miles from here, he will call in a day or so. Well, 
Mr. Eltham, call when you please, we will receive 
you with much ceremony, eh, papa.^” 

“Do you feel a curiosity to meet him, Reg.^” 

“Knowing me, papa, what do you think.^” 

“Well, you are twenty-four, and I want you to think 
of these things more, you will need some one besides 
your old father and the children down there one of 
these days.” 

“What do you mean, papa.^ I shall always have 
you !” 

“I know, my dear, but — ” 

“Don’t, don't, father, yjq know, but none of us will 
believe. We cannot face it, till it comes.” 

“Well, well, daughter, don’t let it worry you. I 
am sturdy and cannot complain. I am sixty-four, 
still many a man lives to be ninety. I have been 
thinking though, of this baby business of yours, and 
it causes me much uneasiness. Now, now,” he said, 
raising his hand, as Regina was about to speak, “I 
have never thwarted you, Reggie, in anything; but 
these ideas of yours are not to my liking. I don’t 
want to interfere and I won’t, but when you talk 


40 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


about adopting these children without parents or 
name, I question the issue most seriously and feel 
great uneasiness, for their tendencies will in spite — ” 

“Father, said Regina, with the old tone coming 
back to her voice; “don’t you think children inbibe 
from parents through precept and habitual association, 
tastes, tendencies, prejudices and talents, rather 
more than is bestowed by hereditary transmission? 

“I do, and the deep interest I feel in these chidren, 
‘waifs,’ ‘unfortunates,’ as you call them, partakes of 
the nature of a scientific research, and confirmation 
of truth, as well as the great desire to benefit their 
lives. 

“We know them to be of various nationalities, let 
us see if the traits of blood assert themselves, or they 
prove amenable to the teachings of a pure and discip- 
lined home. For only discipline, imitation and pride 
makes humanity what it is. 

“Are we not liars? Certainly, since we must place 
our hand upon a sacred book and swear, make our- 
selves liable to law, before we are believed. 

“Are we not thieves? Yes, since we are constantly 
making boits, bars and keys with which to protect 
our valuables. Are we not murderers? since the most 
stringent laws and almost certainty of detection, does 
not prevent men from this awful crime. We are op- 
pressors, cruel and unjust to the full extent circum- 
stances allow, yet we are Christian, not pagan. We 
advocate and believe in the divine doctrine of mercy.” 

“Of course Reggie, a certain class — ” 

“Oh, papa, class, class! what is it? I speak of the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


41 


natural man. The savage, the thief, the liar, the 
murderer, all these are the natural man. 

^‘He is restrained by what? the laws firstly, asso- 
ciation, culture, pride, selfishness, some men are too 
selfish to be criminals. 

“Yes, culture is the engine of destruction to crime, 
remove this, and you will have retrogradation to the 
primitive. My dear, but awfully prejudiced, papa,” 
said the girl jumping up from the table and going up 
behind, putting both arms about his necK, laying 
her head with its raven braids on his snowy hair, 
“what if you had sometime, now try and take such 
an incredible circumstance to yourself, what if you 
had when young and not given to serious thought of 
consequences, as thousands are daily doing, betrayed 
a girl or any” — at those words General Claremont 
gave so violent a start, that his daughter paused sud- 
denly, and tried to look down into his face, but he 
held her hands which were clasped around his neck 
tightly in his own for the moment, then said in as 
natural a voice as he could command: 

“Well.?” 

“A poor girl,” she continued, “who would of course 
become an outcast without friends, maybe without 
shelter, the greatest sufferer in every way, but not 
one half the sinner. Most men will add to the crime 
of betrayal, the coldness of indifference and the cru- 
elty of desertion. Unless through the moral suasion 
induced by looking into a gun barrel in the hands 
of an irate father or brother. 

“In her despair, this miserable creature may be 


42 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


victim of innocent confidence, may be not, any way 
she is wretched unhappy and unfortunate. 

“She is met by a girl, one of her own sex, near her 
own age, with a true woman’s honest feelings. 

“A girl whose whole life has been surrounded by 
watchful care and loving guidance, hemmed in by all 
good influences and taught the gigantic fallacy of 
class distinction, as an actuality, apart from human 
derivation, a sort of divine bestowal on a favored few. 
So sheltered had she been, temptation was, for her, 
almost an empty sound, and error an idle jest; yet 
with this false grounding of what is true in life, her 
own heart fearlessly speaks, she pities, and does not 
condemn her fallen sister. What would you say of this 
girl who takes the less fortunate one by the hand, 
ignores the false line society has erected for the 
woman, not saying “I will use ‘my influence’ to 
get you into some charitable institution, the place 
for such as you, but takes heV by the hand as a sister 
indeed, trying to apply literally the words ‘do unto 
others,’ etc., gives her a home, helps her through 
the trial, and starts the life of the child amid condi- 
tions and advantages which will in most cases insure 
its own reward. 

“Of this girl who should by her teaching and 
station believe wholly in the half bugbear ‘heredity,’ 
but who does believe and know, that by familiar con- 
tact with crime, we all would learn the vices of civ- 
ilization and not its virtues, or rather our natural self 
would find expression, though we be the offspring of 
what is called the noble and great. Now, what 
would you think of this girl.^” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


43 


‘‘What would I think of this girl?” he answered, 
drawing her down to his knee, “that she’s an angel, 
God bless her beautiful face!” 

“And that’s what those girls said, minus her ‘beau- 
tiful face,’ and the prayers offered up in my behalf, 
the blessings they would shower upon me, have re- 
paid me a hundred fold. Those poor heart-broken 
girls. It seems wicked, father, to feel thankful for 
those little lives, yet I am, I love them so thoroughly. 
I received a letter from Lucy Hatfield yesterday, her 
mistress places every confidence in her; true she does 
not know the past and at my advice she never will. 
We cannot expect absolute frankness on all things in 
an age where enlightenment is too limited for the 
sway of common justice. Every girl but one has 
lived true to her promise of right, is that not suffi- 
cient proof they wish to reclaim themselves? My 
dear little pets, I will adopt them, father, every one. 
Is it not inexpressibly pathetic at the end, she says, 
Lucy says, ‘Kiss little Carl for me,’ who can under- 
stand the yearning of that poor girl mother’s heart? 
I can. I love them as though they were my very 
own.” 

“Tut, tut! Reggie, you have time to attend to those 
things now, and indulge your caprice as you see fit, 
but don’t think of hampering your life with obliga- 
tions the weight of which you can scarcely appreciate 
when you are married — ” 

“When I am maried! I shall not marry. I have 
no wish to marry, until I may meet the man I love, if 
I ever do. There’s time enough.” 


44 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


At those words thoughtlessly spoken, the blood 
rushed over her face in crimson flow, she knew she 
already loved that handsome dark horseman, whom 
she had but to recall to feel her heart beat wildly in 
its happy knowledge. The girl paused, and walking to 
the window where the sun shining in dazzling glory 
enframed her head and shoulders in a luminous halo 
of morning light, looked with faraway, unseeing 
eyes, upon the burning disc of the sun, inhaled the 
perfume of all the freshness without, silently enjoying 
that inward happiness now singing to her heart. 

Idly watching the dogs scampering on the lawn, 
she noticed indifferently at first that one of them held 
something in its mouth, stopping in its play to let the 
others almost seize it, then fly away all barking, 
panting, falling over each other, in the wild excite- 
ment and scramble. Something with a white handle, 
her riding stick. 

Would he ride to-day through that same lane. ^ per- 
haps. 

The reality they were destined to be to each other 
adapted itself in perfect conformity to her every 
thought. 

What was his name.^ 

Thus she stood for many minutes in thought; these 
new and extraordinary feelings convinced her beyond 
any reasoning that, with all her theories of the sub- 
lime and great possible to accomplish in life, her 
heart was restricted to follow faithfully and in ador- 
ing isolation forever the brilliant beaconlight of love. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


“Papa, won’t you walk down to the cottage this 
morning? It is two weeks since you have been there 
and spent any little time with them. We can visit 
awhile before Jesse comes I have ordered the landau 
to take us for an airing.” 

“Very well,”said General Claremont. 

The general was a man ever ready to give, but 
didn’t wish the people he assisted brought into his 
own life too closely. 

“I’ll not be a moment,” his daughter cried running 
up stairs. 

Slipping on a gray cashmere dress with a narrow 
band of velvet at the bottom, with hat and gloves to 
match, she reapperaed looking supurb in her quiet 
simplicity. 

Her bounding step and buoyant spirit attested her 
glowing health. 

“How beautiful the country is,” she said turning to 
her father as they passed down the broad stone steps 
of the great house. “I marvel that people can endure 
city life constantly, or even at all. In the spring 
with the blue bell and corn flower, the green meadow 
and golden furrow, and now this mcst delightful of 
seasons, we feel our whole being uplifted, we feel the 
existence of the soul.” 


45 


46 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


At this point they reach the gate, a prolonged 
howl of anticipation falls on their ears, three dogs 
come rushing after them. Regina unlatching the lit- 
tle side gate they leap ahead over the field, a frequent 
cut to the cottage. A house of eight rooms, fitted 
up to receive the first two children, yet now with six, 
there was ample room and comfort for all. An easy 
walk of fifteen minutes and they reach their destina- 
tion. 

The general did not wholly entertain the democratic 
ideas of equality his daughter encouraged, yet be- 
lieved as we have said, in the broadest charity to- 
wards those who might need it. She on the other 
hand despised the necessity and name of charity, 
knowing it usually conveys to the beneficiary the op- 
pressive consciousness of being the reciptant of alms, 
and thought if it did not directly multiply its own creat- 
ures it often robbed them of proper self reliance self 
respect, and the spirit of energy es^^'^ntial to a success- 
ful combat with life and the worlo. 

‘‘Yet,” she would often say, “how can we do good, 
except through charity 

The general would sometimes in a wish to take her 
mind from questions of so serious a nature, offer the 
benefit of his own theories, and often end by coming 
back to hers, and tease her good-naturedly on the 
equal distribution argument, “they would be no bet- 
ter off and where would you be, Reg.^” 

“To talk of equal distribution of money is absurd, 
and if possible, would be futile, but, must we always 
have money in the future, because we always have in 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


47 


the past?” she would answer and frequently add: 

While that medium exists it will be the fell promoter 
of the unpardonable disease, avarice.” 

^^With money in the world, legal restriction, moral 
reasoning, or religious training can never make men’s 
hearts truly noble, for they cannot rise above the sor- 
did love of gain while the avenue is open to them. 
Is there an honest spirit of trade, is not the whole 
domain of exchange beginning to be looked upon as 
a device for the supremacy of the unscrupulous? 
Until all men can do for themselves, then we must 
endure the evil of beggary and charity, I suppose.” 

They have reached the cottage. 

A low-roofed structure surrounded by a broad ver- 
anda, covered with clinging vines that in their season 
gave a rich green arbor of cool shade. 

Here in the hot days of summer with the whole 
grumbling community bathed in a perspiration, 
Regina would sit or lie on a rug, concealed by the 
thick hanging shrubbery from the passer-by, and 
let the little ones creep and climb about her indulg- 
ing all their babyish tricks and humors. 

Stopping to snatch them to her heart when doing 
something particularly cunning, and teaching them all 
to say “mama.” 

She enjoyed with all her ardent soul, this result of 
her work; to see them daily watch for her coming, 
not a day passed that she did not go to them, in rain 
or sunshine, since the first was found a little heap of 
dusty, almost lifeless humanity, in an ash barrel on a 
low street in the east side of New York. 


48 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Reading in one of the dailies of the circumstance, 
without a word to anyone she donned her hat and 
jacket, and started for the city, imbued with the pur- 
pose that if he still lived, the city should be relieved 
of his charge forever. 

He was alive, but that was all, poor little atom. 

“Treat him well, doctor,’’ she said in her heart}^ out- 
spoken way, “he is a child of destiny, and must 
live.” 

Every day for four weeks after she went to see 
him, held him in her arms. “He is mine,” she said 
to those around, who looked at this regal beauty’s 
tenderness in baffled curiosity, “mine, through the 
pathetic appeal of abandoned helplessness.” 

As they near the door, a wee voice is heard calling, 
“Mama, mama!” 

Two little hands reach towards her beating the air 
in flurried expectancy. 

“Mama, mama!” and turning her eyes toward her 
father he saw a faint suggestion of happy tears, then 
running to the outstretched arms, they close with a 
quick clasp around her neck, a childish shriek of joy, 
and she holds the little thing in warm embrace. 

“My darling, my little angel,” she whispers while 
he covers her face with kisses. 

“Ah, father, this is my satisfaction and reward, to 
be thought of, watched for, by them, and hear their 
lisping words of love.” 

Is it not so, reader, if not you, yet there comes to 
your mind those who would sacrifice much, aye all, 
to hear some little lisping creature whose life has 
closed forever, whisper “mama,” once more. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


49 


Bitter truth that we cannot appreciate when they 
are with us, but empty is all lament, for the 

“touch of a vanished hand, the sound of a voice that is still. 

Let US not forget it while our privilege to enjoy. 

“Father,’^ she said, raising her head from the little 
face pressed against her own, “do you know I believe 
responsibility gives one of the keenest joys to mater- 
nity.?’’ 

This was the little ash-barrel waif, Holly, so called 
she said, to ever keep her memory green in the 
path of duty toward the humble. The nurses now 
appeared, smiles of welcome on their fresh healthy 
faces, one by one the little ones are brought out, 
sweet and perfectly kept. It was a study and pleas- 
ure to listen to the carefully moduluated tones of the 
nurses. These children had never heard one of those 
rasping, high-pitched voices of peevish irritability, 
some mothers consider their special prerogative to 
employ, shocking the nervous system of the child 
with loud unnecessary yells of reproof, with slippered 
accompaniment one minute, and slobbering over 
the helpless infant with unwholesome kisses and 
idiotic gush, whose etymology is commonly under- 
stood as “baby talk,” the next. 

One was not treated as sulky when only timid, they 
were understood, and did not eat out their tiny 
hearts craving sympathy — but received it. 

Among the collection was one girl, and she true to 
the instincts of her sex, rather usurped the power of 
dominion; as the petulant heart of caprice often 
governs the great and wise, so this little elf would say 


50 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


wuii a stamp of her foot, “You must, you shall , and 
they would, like their bigger brothers. 

Dressing them was one of Regina’s chief pleasures. 

None alike, no institutional air mocked at her gen- 
erosity with its systematic levelling of similar attire. 

It was a beautiful family, herself the common 
mother. 

The little fellows felt manly in neat simple clothes 
of artistic completeness. 

Holly the nucleus around whom the others had 
been gathered, was now five years of age, and as 
Regina looked into his bright eyes and ruddy face 
this morning, smoothing her hand over his shining 
golden curls in gentle caress, the horror of the crime 
his sin maddened mother intended to commit was 
brought to her mind in a hundredfold intensity. 

Taking him in her arms she folded him close to 
her heart. 

Yes, he was the dearest, but there was no favor 
shown by her at any time, no partial thoughtfulness 
or special tokens of love, ever wounded the hearts of 
the others, or planted in their minds the visible and 
anxious seed of jealousy. 

After taking them all in her arms in tender greet- 
ing one litte fellow toddled up and held out his arms 
to be lifted. He had never been well which was due 
no doubt to his mother’s efforts before his birth, the 
^Circumstances of which, have their counterpart daily 
in every large city on earth. 


CHAPTER IX. 


It was a warm September afternoon three years 
before, one of those exquisite life-inspiring days when 
we want to kneel and thank God that we are. 

Riding along near the bank of the river our heroine 
noticed a woman sitting on a rock close to the water’s 
edge. Suspecting something wrong, for her attitude 
and appearance indicated that life held few pleasures 
for her; Regina turned down the steep incline and 
inquired what she meant by those despairing ges- 
tures. Bare headed, an old worn shawl drawn around 
her shoulders, the woman arose, as she did so a gasp 
of pity escaped the lips of the girl, never had she 
seen pictured, or imagined its prototype in any 
human face, the aiisery and hopeless despair, the 
apparent helplessness and poverty, that here con- 
fronted her 

Stooping, the woman picked up something that 
had been at her feet, a something with a little purple 
pinched face and sunken eyes, the finger of Want, 
offspring of insatiable Greed, stamped on its every 
lineament 

But what of that, why speak of one, when there 
are thousands the same, or destroyed every day, by 
the laws which govern social honor, financial exchange, 
and the most extensive one by far, the wish on the 
51 


52 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


part of women to avoid care and disfigurement of 
personal charm. Don’t say it isn’t true, ladies, it 
is, and no one knows its dreadful truth better than 
you do yourselves. 

Girls and wives daily cover their guilt, and cross 
their duty, in a supreme crime whose coronation is 
murder, and if that word means anything, it certainly 
means the destruction of a human creature, a being, 
and degrees of age or development cannot lessen the 
sin, clear the conscience that offers in palliation of 
the deed, the contemptible falsehood, “no life.’’ 

I seriously question whether women deserve more 
rights than they already have when they so wantonly 
squelch the first right and duty bestowed upon them. 

“I do not wish to live,” said this miserable woman. 

“Can I not do something for you.^” asked the girl. 

“No one can do anything for me,” was the dejected 
answer. 

“I think I can,” responded Regina, “dispel the evil 
thought of self-destruction so plainly written on your 
face there at the water’s edge, forget the evil impulse 
that would induce you to a triple tragedy; be brave, 
no matter what your trials; I will help you. Take 
this money, come to me to-morrow,” and slipping a 
purse and card into the hands of the now hopeful 
woman, she rode away, calling back as she did so, 
“Don’t be afraid because the house is large and the 
dogs are free, you will not be harmed.” 

The next day the woman came and told her story, 
the story and history of many wretched homes, broken 
lives, and widespread destitution, but not the cause 
of all. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


53 


Her husband had once been secretary to an Eng- 
lish gentleman, spoke several languages and was 
highly capable of making a good living could he 
have obtained a situation. He was willing and 
wanted work, not finding it and money gone, he was 
forced to accept positions far beneath his capabilities, 
often at menial labor; he was sensitive and proud. 
Some nights he would come home a little more talk- 
ative than usual, eventually unsteady, and in the 
end, he succumbed to that fascinating and destroying 
demon, that devil which we so largely encourage at 
first by a simple yielding to a friend’s thoughtless 
urging, never thinking of, or seeking it ourselves, 
that dragon of destruction that confronts the world 
and buries in its sinister maw, the gifted and bril- 
liant, the noted and able, the fearless and strong, as 
well as the ignorant, vicious, and depraved, the great 
and ever growing monster. Drink. 

The woman related all the trying incidents up to 
the time when she decided to end all in death. 

“But did you not think of the crime, asked Regina. 

“I thought it would be better for us all to die, than 
endure life in the misery a drunken husband and 
father creates in his home; poverty rests too heavily 
on the shoulders of the wretched,” she concluded. 

Taken to Glendale cottage, with naught to worry 
her, she soon passed to recovery; but little Conrad 
had never been well, born there, he remained. The 
mother, now a widow, often came to see him, and 
departed with thanksgiving to her who gave the child 
such wholesome shelter. 


54 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


The sun rises higher, the day is glorious. 

“Papa, will you not go with us?” 

Holly climbs up on the general’s knee and sits 
contentedly there. 

Now the wraps are brought out. Regina changes 
a pin, adjusts a fold, smooths a curl as they leave 
her hands equipped for the ride. 

All is ready. Dell, the little witch, runs up and 
pursing her lips cries, “Dood bye, Ganpa,” only 
three years of age. At those words, and her coquet- 
tish manner, there is a burst of merriment all round. 

They are waiting eagerly for the carriage. It was 
a pleasant sight, and as General Claremont looked 
at his noble daughter, her face brightened by the 
transports of love and happiness he sighed many 
times. Did he feel her loyal merit a reproach to his 
own former unworthiness? perhaps he did. How 
blessed he was in this child. 

A rumble of wheels sounds on the air, the children 
send up a shout of joy. Up the road comes two 
prancing roan cobs, the polished panels of the landau 
with its glistening wheels, casting off the sun’s bril- 
liant light at every revolution; a dextrous turn and 
the horses stand champing their bits impatient to be 
off. 

Too little exercised to tamely stand, though docile, 
they turn their unchecked heads waiting the signal 
of command. Regina enters first, taking Connie in 
her arms, Holly by her side, the nurses following with 
the others. 

There were no white capped badges of servitude 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


5i) 

to place unnecessarily upon them the constant feel- 
ing of inferiority and dependence. 

These girls were sensible and refined, conversing 
with their mistress with the freedom of an equal, 
they never approached careless familiarity, treated as 
ladies they behaved as such. They might have been 
three young mothers of equal station in life, Regina 
was dressed but little better, yet of course a close ob- 
server would note the higher grace of individuality 
and breeding, superior surroundings give. 

A ‘‘good bye!” from six merry childish voices, a 
waving of little hands, a volley of kisses thrown from 
a dozen finger-tips, and they are off. 

The nigh horse swerves a little, crowding his mate, 
a, sharp crack of the whip rewards his spirit, then 
falling quickly into his pace he keeps his good be- 
havior. 

Now they bowl along over a smooth, hard road, 
breathing in the crisp air, the children clapping their 
tiny hand's in unruly joy, the present moment all. 
The enveloping interest in them gave Regina for the 
moment a slight forgetfulness. Miles into the golden 
decked country until the church spires of Yonkers rise 
silhouette-like on the distant horizon. 

It is time to turn, a farm-house close at hand has 
a sign reading, “Buttermilk.” They stop, the children 
tasting it with grimaces that calls forth shouts of 
laughter. 

Now they turn, back the same road, down by 
Jerome Park like a merry picnic party they speed 
along. 


56 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Just as they are nearing Glendale, a man passes, 
mounted on a docked iron gray charger, a magnificent 
animal, and the rider — 

Regina turns slightly as he shoots ahead, her 
heart seems to rise in her throat, scarcely knowing 
what she did, she clasped the now sleeping infant 
closer to her breast, looking with almost startled 
eyes on the rapidly receding form far ahead. 

It was the handsome unknown of the day before. 
She had felt, she knew, they must meet. The pleas- 
ure of driving was gone. ‘‘Hurry, Jesse, she said, 
she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. 

The children are taken in, two of them asleep, and 
looking at them for a second and leaving a few simple 
directions, she returns and entering the conveyance, 
is driven home. Depressed and thoughtful she paused 
at the entrance after alighting, saying: “I shall not 
ride to-day.’^ A sigh tried to escape her, but check- 
ing it, she turned, entering the hall, feeling somehow 
a terrible loneliness. What does she want or need, 
to add to her life another joy. 

About to proceed to her room, her foot is arrested 
by voices from the drawing-room, one is easily recog- 
nized as her father’s, the other is unknown, and yet, 
has she not heard it somewhere.^ 

With a second’s halt she turns to enter the room, 
but stands transfixed on the threshold. She hears 
her father’s voice which seems to come from the edge 
of space, saying: 

“My daughter Regina, Mr. Eltham.^^ 


CHAPTER X. 


He stands before her, how gracious is his manner 
of smiling courtesy. 

She lost all definite notion of her own identity, as 
she opened her lips to speak, no word issued fiom 
them. 

Afterward she distinctly recalled, hearing the foliage 
without, and thinking minutely of some cherub heads 
just above his own, a sunlit scene of a pasture and 
green hills, a hundred groping and extraordinary 
thoughts were seeking an outlet from her unconscious 
soul, while her conscious one was saying, “Bertrand 
Eltham, Bertrand Eltham;^^ and her conscious eyes 
were looking calmly into his. 

Oh the danger of the excessive power of magnetism. 
Had the surroundings favored fear, she would have 
felt a stir of superstition, the rapidly developing and 
peculiar traits of her own character were not the 
unfolding of any weakness hitherto half suspected by 
herself. 

Never before had she been agitated or controlled 
by a sole idea. The intercourse of her whole life, had 
been glowing liberality and expansion, now she 
seemed to herself to stagnate on a rigid creed of love, 
whose only privilege or desire was to confine itself 
rom further action. 


57 


58 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


He was a god, an idol, and the pleasure that now 
brooded in her heart, was itself volunteer of eternal 
worship. His name swam before her eyes. 

It was he, the man she had thought of, dreamed of, 
wept for and loved, since the fleeting second of the 
night before, a passing second that in the lives of 
multitudes meant nothing, but to her meant the 
story and sequel of life and love, happiness or woe. 
He had awakened that heart from its peaceful slumber 
in the solitude of the past, and filled it with strange 
and varied longings in an unknown atmosphere of 
seductive charm. She could have smothered it in 
chagrin this moment at its soft whisperings and sunny 
fancies, trying to force herself to some reason she 
fancied a very rapid and inane expression was occupy- 
ing her telltale face, and she closed her lips with a 
hard pressure whose effect on their softness was, not 
to say the least, intensely fascinating or distinctly 
inviting. Then she held out her hand without a word. 

General Claremont was expatiating on the merits of 
a new style of saddle, Mr. Eltham attentively listened, 
but glanced ever and again at the face of the beau- 
tiful girl, now sitting in perfect composure, opposite. 

Presently he turned and took occasion to speak of 
the incident of the previous day, apologizing for what 
might have seemed an intrusion or freedom. She 
smiled saying in return: “It was a well-meant kind- 
ness I fully appreciate. Had I been in difficulty your 
presence would have been most opportune, and 
probably, with the usual contrariness of events, you 
would have been miles from that particular spot had 
I wanted aid.’’ 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


59 


Quite true,^’ he smiled in reply. 

“I feel that my daughter is perfectly safe in riding, 
when skill and presence of mind only is required, but 
we cannot guard against accidents,” interrupted the 
general. 

Conversation passed from one topic to another in 
easy succession. 

Regina forgot everything and sat enthralled by the 
music and eloquence of his voice, scarcely moving 
for fear of losing a note. He rises to go, how she 
longed to detain him, the time had flown; but his 
horse is at the door. 

“Miss Claremont,” she turns those peculiar eyes 
now looking coal black, on him, “I have invited your 
father over to take a look at my stock some morning; 
may I hope you would find pleasure in coming too.^^” 

“If you knew her better, Mr. Eltham, you would 
not feel it necessary to extend the invitation, she 
would certainly come without it, horses, dogs, and 
by no means least, babies, are her heart’s joy. I 
am grandfather to six already through her generosity,” 
laughed the general. 

Mr. Eltham started visibly, this lovely young girl 
the mother of six children.? was the question that 
looked from his surprised and rather crestfallen face. 

“Oh, adopted ones, Mr. Eltham, my girl is still 
heart whole, and satisfied to live with her old father 
only.” 

The two young people exchanged a swift glance, 
had they known each other years, could volumes 
have been written, that mutual glance would have far 
outweighed the meaning of it all. 


6o 


A ROYAL HLIRESS 


Heart spoke to heart, soul to soul, no barrier of life 
but honor could have stemmed the tide of this surging 
torrent of love. 

They smiled an intuitive recognition of each other’s 
thought. 

An almost imperceptible sigh passed her lips, an 
answering response came from his Slowly they 
turned away, the reason of each rising in rebellion, 
at the truth their hearts already revealed to them. 

They walked down the .steps to see him off, the 
father and daughter. 

‘‘Shall I see you soon.^^” asked Eltham as if speak- 
ing to the father, yet looking intently at the daughter’s 
face. 

The general was about to answer Regina laid her 
hand on his arm saying to Eltham as she did so: 

“To-morrow.” 

“Surely, Reggie, Mr. Eltham doesn’t expect us 
quite so soon,” said the general. 

“It is none too soon, I assure you, general. 1 
shall expect you,” Mr. Eltham answered. 

“We shall be there,” she returned. 

“To-morrow.?” 

“To-morrow.” 

A low bow, a smile he did not try to control, dis- 
played his even teeth, a “Good-afternoon,” and he 
was gone. 

The diversity of sensations that stirred the hearts 
of these two people, would be difficult to analyze. 

General Claremont was shrewd, he walked back 
and forth on the finely graveled path, before the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


6i 


entrance, his hands under his coat tails, and a very 
discerning smile, puckering his mouth at intervals. 

He glanced at his daughter; she was intently watch- 
ing the retreating form of Mr. Eltham. 

He bent under pretext of lifting a drooping vine 
of honeysuckle, and quietly bound the creeping mem- 
ber to its trellis, content if she were so to let her 
dream awhile in silence. 

He felt after a few moments the time propitious 
for a question, he wanted to know what she thought 
of this stranger and was a little puzzled at her con- 
tinued silence. He knew the opinion favorable, 
however, without any word from her, finally he said: 
“Well?’^ 

“Father, I shall marry him!’’ 

The general laughed aloud. 

“That’s a hasty decision, daughter.” 

“I shall marry Bertrand Eltham, I love him!” 

The general looked more bewildered than amused 
now, as he answered: 

“You are rash, Reggie; we do not know him, nor 
anything concerning him. He has good ideas of 
business, and should he turn out to be what he prom- 
ises on so very brief an acquaintance your interest 
may not be misplaced; but love — I can scarcely be- 
lieve you are one to acknowledge such a sentiment 
for a man seen but an hour of your life.” 

“But I do acknowledge it father, and while I 
admit what seems to my judgment as well as yours, 
a weakness, I cannot escape its singular power.” 

Scrutinizing her face for a moment thoughtfully he 


62 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


said: ^‘Why, Reggie, this is not like you, you have 
prided yourself on never having yielded to capricious 
thoughts, and seemed in the past disinclined to listen 
to, or favor the approach to this subject. If I mistake 
not, I have heard you speak of the necessity of 
‘serious meditation,’ as a point not lightly to be dis- 
posed of. My darling, you were right in that, you 
cannot think too seriously of an issue that may bring 
much joy, or involve you in deep difficulty and woe.’^ 
“I am not mistaken, father. I see the truth of all 
you say. I have hitherto spoken with the dispas- 
sionate calm of indifference. But now, my heart for 
the first time feels, and I must act accordingly. I 
know that I am lovable, my glass tells me a truth 
which people’s eyes confirm. 1 am capable of making 
any true man happy. Why need I wait in squeamish 
false modesty through a series of incidents conven- 
tionality imposes, delays that sting the suffering heart 
to perpetual torture, imposed by a class who have 
neither heart to love nor blood to inspire it, while I at 
custom’s covenant smirk and blush in apparently 
coquettish evasion like the rest of my sex, whose in- 
sipidity, with ‘drooping lids, and lifting of face, baring 
of shoulders, and well timed sighs’, and the devil 
knows what other subtle graces, mental wantons 
who sin with their eyes, lure love to wake, yet bid 
it keep under, tempt man to fall, but bid reason 
control, then we are filled with an outraged wonder, 
when they get to wanting us body and soul. That 
is flirtation, catching a man, for modern thought 
and argument, frames the opinion that a man who 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


63 


becomes a benedict is caught, a victim, instead of a 
willing and happy participant in the occasion. That 
is formality’s courtship, I don’t want it!’’ 

“You are unreasonable, my girl.” 

“Unreasonable.^ insane! and though convinced I 
cannot change so evident a truth as my love for Mr. 
Eltham, you will not oppose me, father.^” 

“My foolish girl, I will direct you.” 

Then she related in detail the meeting of the day 
before and the remarkable impression which had not 
since left her. Re-entering the house, they sit down 
to lunch, still discussing the new acquaintance. 

“Is he not quite the handsomest man you have 
ever seen, papa, and courageous, to leave the gayety 
and life of European drawing-rooms for dismal old 
Baisely, and purely from a business incentive which 
utterly lacks the spur of necessity.?” 

“We’ll give a little informal in his honor. What 
do you say.?” asked the general. 

“You are so good, papa,” she cried. 

The general laughed, as he replied, “Good at 
matchmaking you mean, I suppose.” 

“But I haven’t a dress in which to appear,” she 
exclaimed suddenly. 

This statement was so thoroughly droll they both 
laughed, and the girl with a slight guiltiness in her 
face, for style and dress in the main, had always 
been most severely condemned by her, as an abomi- 
nation that obscured in its folly many women of 
otherwise good common sense. Some of her words 
had been a “slave projecting institution, whose fatal 


64 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


power endorsed unscrupulous vanity, degraded virtue, 
cultivated the empty tolly of vulgar display, and neces- 
sitated the subordination of judgment and reason.’^ 

But in spite of ourselves, “the habits of our minds 
are a reference to the established.” 

Her father knew she must have dozens of dresses 
scarcely worn. 

“And is this the little philosopher,” he asked when 
his amusement had subsided, “who yesterday said in 
this very room to me, ‘There is in the heart of every 
person of even moderate intelligence to-day a lurking 
and somewhat unwilling recognition of the obvious 
truth and growing knowledge of the rights of all; why 
not grapple with it now, rich and poor, great and 
small and with a good pull and a strong one, strive 
together to reach a high plane of universal amity. * 
And now,” he went on, while her cheeks burned 
crimson in silence, “she must have a dress, a new, 
of course, a stylish one, so fastidious has grown her 
taste, so full of thoughts and wishes the heart, vary- 
ing immeasurably from those of yesterday. She 
.would seek admiration which has hitherto been, if 
not unacceptable at least uncared for. My thoughtful 
Reg in love, this is a metamorphosis.” 

These words were said in a half bantering tone of 
pretended reproach which she made no attempt to 
resent; she felt as if she fully deserved more than 
ridicule or reproach for a punishment, but, since she 
lacked the inward strength to direct her own impulse, 
she knew that from without was unavailing and 
replied simply: 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


65 


“Philosophy is useless and powerless when brought 
face to face with an over-mastering human passion 
which transcends explanation/^ 

Time could not have resulted in a deeper at- 
tachment, a truer affection than Regina Claremont 
now felt for Elthain, whether lasting or not, time 
only could tell. It was contrary to all promise of her 
life, that she should yield to a violent and sudden 
fancy, might it not be contrary in view of this first in- 
consistency, that the latter should endure? We 
shall see. 

“Do not look troubled, father, whether right or 
wrong will be fully determined, my present thoughts 
are not decisive, but I believe the future will confirm 
the wisdom of this longing. 

“Love is so convincing, so all in all when it is truly 
love. 

“You will see my resolution, the resolution that I 
will be his wife, happily justified, the world shall envy 
us our joy, this shall be a home — for I will never 
leave you, father— a home without a sorrow, with no 
room for gnawing or disturbing secrets, no closet for 
the dry boned fearful rattle of a skeleton. How dull 
it must be at Baisely place with no companionship 
whatever, yet he will prove equal to the test of con- 
viction, I saw it in his noble face, and rally to his 
force the success his smiling and indolent friends may 
contemptuously or curiously doubt. How friends 
hate to see one succeed, don’t they, papa? a rather 
sarcastic homily in itself from the Damon and 
Pythias standard, yet who so prolific in advice of a 


66 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


contrary nature to your intention and so fulsome in 
accruing to themselves the importance of same, 
when one, in opposition to vindictive thrust, grasps 
the banner of prosperity.” 

“I often think,” replied her father leaning back in 
a large com.fortable chair whose soft languor was 
sensuously paving the way in his brain for a doze, 
“much success in life is due more to the intense if 
not commendable desire to disappoint our friends 
than to baffle enemies or gain the jurisdiction of 
power or wealth.” 

“The peculiar gleam of envy with which intimates 
learn of one’s triumph in any way, must be a severe 
and significant flaw ‘in the eyes of those who fancy 
the millenium period of purity at hand or believe the 
‘love your neighbor as yourself’ spirit is growing 
alarmingly apace,” was her smiling rejoinder. 

Then continued: “But Mr. Eltham misses his 
friends, we must dispel the memory of their absence, 
we must learn if he pla3^s and invite him to dine 
some evening. Did you notice how feelingly he 
spoke of home, as he said, ‘although a foster child 
no happiness of the best home has been unknown to 
me,' My mind will turn to nothing but the chaim of 
conjecture regarding him, we must extend him every 
civility of hospitality. 

How earnestly he said ^not on the principle of the 
unfettered liberty of adventure, but to demon- 
strate my self-reliance have I embarked in this 
business transaction.’ One can believe him enter- 
taining at all times that manner to inferiors, 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


67 


which above all else proclaims true manliness. 

“Did you notice that peculiar and frequent gesture 
of one hand, it was a phrase in itself. If he knew, 
might he not resent this ready freedom of attachment, 
would he value a passion or honor, a love, provoked 
by a casual meeting, denounce as superficial or embrace 
it as a god-given, a holy germ of inspiration.?’^ 

These thoughts were now the substance of silent 
inquiry and meditative debate, above all must there be 
no premature, no frenzied or impassioned vehemence 
beyond taste or necessity of circumstance, not even 
on her own particular hobby, the wrongs of her sex* 
She would appeal to him through her womanliness and 
repose, assuming no frigid indifference to temper 
desire, but a gracious warmth to inspire respect. 

A hearty civility whose reward would be confidence; 
a smiling inference of pleasure at his coming, a 
vaguely prophetic glimpse of regret in her eyes on his 
departure or a chilling silence at a delayed appoint- 
ment, followed by a later enthusiasm of transport, 
destitute of excuse, but joy. 

Through this comparative scale of eventual scenes 
might she walk to the throne of his heart. “Bah!” 
she now exclaimed aloud, “that is the resort of the 
brainless, a subterfuge of trivialities merit despises; 
but the deportment of folly, in itself a treachery to 
love; my contentment by his side shall express the 
mood of truth, a cordial friendly frankness the delight 
his presence gives. I will plan nothing, do nothing, 
be unaffected, all myself, and act without the aid of 
any art, win his heart as he won mine by fate alone. 


68 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“Father,’’ she said, standing up in her beautiful 
proportions, “am I not a woman to be loved, and 
should not Eltham — ” 

She paused. General Claremont was asleep, her 
long silence and the easy chair, had made temptation 
valid. 


CHAPTER XL 


Bertrand Eltham left the Claremont grounds, 
and we might say his heart, surely his thoughts, were 
completely riveted on the lovely girl he had just left. 

^‘This is the type of woman for whom men have 
gladly died,” he said to himself, ‘‘a type that finds 
few men worthy of her love. A face with many 
faces in it,” he mused as her flitting expression of 
simplicity, earnestness, smiles or thoughtful interest 
recurred to him. What easy aptitude of reply and 
humor of suggestion. I have met many women, 
sometimes fancied 1 loved them, all men have, but 
for her, a life of devotion would be but a tithe of 
the reward her love should receive. She must have 
many admirers,” his heart twinged acutely at its 
own jealous intimation. 

He thought of her quiet hateur and a hundred 
times that electric glance which seemed to tell his 
heart a truth he had imagined, but now knew, he had 
never truly felt before. 

Little did he think when sending his letter to Gen- 
eral Claremont, he should there meet the pensive girl 
seen for a moment that evening, the rich and petted 
mistress of the home, an heiress and a beauty. He 
understood the sex; their virtues and follies, coquet- 
ries and faults. 


69 


70 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Sometimes doubted them seriously, almost univer- 
sally, so many had he met even in a polite sphere, 
who had received the attention of courtesy, with 
smiling encouragement to freedom. 

He was not a paragon of virtue himself. Men 
seldom are. 

Thinking of the variety of subjects they had lightly 
discussed this afternoon, he was convinced that she 
was a most unusual girl, rather original, an indiffer- 
ence on the part of both her father and self as to 
what society might say or think of them, an intoler- 
ance and disregard of the bonds that fetter in wealth, 
but quickly free in poverty. Discussing the points of 
a horse as intelligently as a trader would have done, 
and at a reference to a recent strike and one in pro- 
gress, he had characterized the conduct of the men as 
a menace of evil, and the leaders as ‘‘tricksters try- 
ing to urge their ignorant brothers to a criminal revo- 
lution.” And looking quietly into his face she had 
answered: “While tyranny lasts, there will be revo- 
lutions, it is now and has ever been the historical 
answer to the oppressor, by the oppressed. These 
barriers of strife far from being an impediment to 
progression are raised in the natural course of pro- 
gression itself.” 

“Papa says,” she continued, “that folly is more 
alluring than reason, and that we are vainly chasing 
a romantic shadow which would bring destruction in 
its own fulfillment. However that may be we know 
negligence, with the knowledge we possess to-day, is 
a crime, this disgraceful state of harboring wretches. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


71 


and how can they be anything but wretches, six or 
seven in a room, a chalk line the division of apart- 
ment. Where can children acquire individuality, 
decency or retain purity so reared. There are many 
demands, we the rich and influential must recognize, 
and which can now be made attainable without 
serious digression from the harmonious conditions of 
the present social and political body.’’ 

After she ceased there was a silence for a moment. 

A strong-minded woman had always seemed to 
Eltham a horror to be avoided, a defiant and aggres- 
sive creature whose watchword was antagonism, 
combating in their pugnacious demands for the rights 
of men, laying themselves open to unkind w ords or ill 
mannered gibes. 

Here was a beautiful young girl, rich beyond reck- 
oning, speaking in a low gentle voice of culture 
whose musical tone held one chained by its vibrant 
thrill, abjuring the rights of her own possessions, 
advocating those of all. 

Another moment she said: “Rank and station is 
but a cruel myth, pounded into the human race by 
the most reprehensible means of brutal power. I 
feel a contemptuous pity for those who cannot free 
themselves from the shackels of veneration, caused 
by antiquity of wrong and unnumbered ages of habit 
and ignorance.” There need be no calculation and 
but one conclusion, he was completely, irrevocably 
in love with her. 

What were the puny candle rays of the past to this 
calm steady flame of growing passion he now felt. 


72 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


How sincerely, almost sacredly, he wished at that 
moment there had never been a past dotted here and 
there with thrilling incidents, deeds of careless inti- 
macy, filtering sands of a foolish if not wicked indul- 
gence that so often extinguishes the temper of self 
respect. 

He felt unworthy to win her love, yet he resolved 
to do so. 

She had thoroughly usurped every corner of his 
heart, filled every chamber of his brain. 

How noble and good she had looked standing on 
the steps as he rode away, her hand lightly resting 
on her father’s arm, the sun shedding its midday 
warmth and brightness on her head, the olive cheek 
glowing with health, and above all those rare and 
striking eyes, which spoke of the presence of passion 
and smiled the promise of love. 

Ah did they, or had he interpreted ill.^ 

To talk to her in trouble, what sound advice and 
tender sympathy she would give, with what lavish 
and unchangeable love would she buoy a man through 
all adverse conditions, and firmly steer his craft to 
sunny ports of peace. 

His heart had opened to an order he could not dis- 
obey, closed tightly on the noiseless visitor who 
silently averred its healthy presence through the 
steady yet scarcely calm reflection now stalking 
through his brain. 

Every precise detail of her dress, and accent of her 
voice, every point of contrast to the fine ones he had 
seen and known, rolled over him as the billows of a 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


73 


freshening gale, that cooled his feverish senses and 
eager warmth of passion, in an awakening thought 
whose sweetness surged on dawning hope, and raised 
his soul to heights beyond the bourne of judgment. 

Here was no triumphant march of passion, but 
security of honored love awaiting him, could he for- 
tunately win her. 

The mischievous past; he could not wholly dis- 
pense with the memory and license of its vanity, or 
dismiss from his questioning conscience the ripples 
of doubt and blame. 

^^Had I but met this girl before,” a deep sigh of 
regret echoed the value of the wish and attested that 
what we call the “wild oat” thoughtless deeds of 
youth, (and he had been the best of his set) yet in the 
presence of this new found feeling he knew they had 
left a seamy side in memory’s hall unpleasant to the 
touch of sober retrospection. Now came the punish- 
ment. He regretted as all good men must, (for guilt 
and evil are far from synonymous) those headstrong 
freaks of sanctioned caprice, that recurring to the 
mind of a man at such an hour, the tone and flavor 
of the past is vividly renewed in all its direct and un- 
wholesome suggestion. 

An unfinished sketch wearies the eye of fevid ex- 
pectation. Half forgotten messaghs ring and re-echo, 
when the treading feet of a retaining power verge 
near their empty craters. 

Thus will mind and memory gauge our faults, and 
stamp our silent senses with an awe of banished isola- 
tion, that anchors anguish to our soul in pain, whose 


74 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


depth subdues the charm we struggle to regain. 

Now was every faculty of right within him assem- 
bled to the task of condemnation, when he fain would 
hold in truth’s embrace, the unsullied flower of 
purity. It is time to change the current of his 
thoughts. The gates of Baisely loom up in the near 
distance. Driving to the stable, he throws the reins 
to a groom and takes a look around. 

The whole surroundings show the guidance of a 
mind stocked with the knowledge required. He 
was going to the city, a new opera was to be pro- 
duced. Passionately fond of music, the art found in 
him, a most liberal patron, 

“Take the cart,’^ he said, half turning as he started 
for the house, a large, gloomy place, situated at the 
left of a ridge now covered with half naked-trees. 

The house might, from its style of architecture, 
have been built at the time of the revolution. Although 
in good repair it was somewhat spooky and dismal to 
him in his present mood. 

Doubly empty it seemed now, why.^ but all places 
are lonely in the absence of the one who alone can 
make them bright. 

Standing he looked across a still gray field at a 
deep, wooded valley in the rear, a small lake, placid 
and shining like a brilliant jewel in a dull setting, 
peeped out from beneath a sloping glade. 

There were many natural beauties at Baisely Place, 
but Eltham had no eyes for them now, an intolerable 
feeling of homesickness came over him. 

For the first time since leaving the old world he 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


75 


seemed to realize that its life and gayety had been a 
great factor to him, yet the pursuit of idle pleasure 
had caused him in disgust to form the resolution to 
be a worker in the mart of life. 

Having sufficient means to gratify the wish for a 
moderate speculation he immediately set to work. 
All his pleasure-loving friends gave him six months 
to ride his hobby, as they jocosely wished him god- 
speed on his journey and venture. It was not yet 
two, and his sinking heart for the moment thought 
of the gay life and its advantages, while renouncing 
its guilt and follies. 

Yet did he wish to be back with the old friends.^ 
No, he wished to be back with the new. He 
longed to see the face of Regina Claremont again, a 
burning impatience seized him, how long a time must 
elapse ere he could hold that sublime form in his 
arms. In imagination he held her already, and closing 
his teeth with a movement that emphasized his firm 
resolve, he muttered a vow that it should not be long 
till that imagination was a happy and lingering reality. 

He hated to enter the house, the whole world out- 
side seemed to speak of her fresh young beauty. He 
wandered down the slope picking up an apple here 
and there, whose ruddy cheeks gave luscious promise, 
then sated in a boyish trick he’d fling them far away 
saying to the setter at his heels, “After it, boy!^^ 
laughing at his scamper in the trial. 

Now he leaps a fence with the agility of an athlete, 
a supple dexterity and grace evincing his muscular 
power. He wished she had not been so rich and 


76 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


high, he could grant no favor, gratify no whim, the 
world was at her feet now, he scarcely dared hope 
that she would love him, a hundred fears piqued 
and dissuaded belief in his cause, almost baffling the 
gratification of endeavor. 

“She shall mine, Fll make her love me!’^ he 
said aloud. 

Proceeding to the house he made a careful toilet 
and went to dinner. 

Domestic in his tastes and nature, the thought 
would force itself upon him as he sat there alone of 
the unutterable joy and blessing it would be to have 
her sitting opposite, his wife, the hum of chil- 
dren’s voices breaking the silence of the old 
place. He could eat little, although a table heaped 
by a considerate butler with every substantial good 
and delicacy, he barely touched the repast. Rais- 
ing a glass of wine to his lips he said softly: “To 
her whom I hope to win,” and his handsome brown 
eyes looked far away, and again she rose before him 
as she stood a few hours before, filling his breast with 
an exquisite suffering no meditation could modify. 

“Your horse is ready, sir!” 

Eltham arose from the table; did he wish to see 
the opera 

He had thought so until now, but he knew above 
the sound of all song the music of her voice as heard 
to-day would still hold his soul in rapture. 

Yes, he would go, he must if only to divert his 
mind, he passed into the hall, putting on his over- 
coat, and walked aimlessly into the library. A keen, 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


77 


fall wind rushes whistling by the gallery, shaking the 
broad casements. A blazing grate fire seemed doubly 
cheerful and inviting, here he could sit and dream, 
but no, seizing his heit he leaves the house, leaps 
into the cart and starts briskly for the station. The 
swift easy gait of the horse, the swaying motion of 
the cart seem to exhilerate, to raise his spirits and 
dispel in a measure the intense, the new and singular 
loneliness he felt. 

They reach the turn, the station is at the right; 
after a slight hesitation he turns to the left, the groom 
silently wondering, and now they can see glimmering 
a mile ahead, the electric lights of Claremont Avenue. 

Turning, they glide down the smooth drive, his 
eyes fixed intently off to the left where burn the 
lights of Brightwood; though now in front of the 
entrance the house seems a great distance off with 
its long curving carriage way. The horse, held taut, 
slackens to a slow walk, and Eltham, raising his eyes, 
looks long and earnestly at the stately mansion which 
he now feels holds his very existence in its walls. 
She eclipsed his interest in all earthly things but her- 
self; the seed of love had taken giant root, and opened 
fully to the light of being. 

He turns and rides slowly back, then once again 
more slowly than before, at times they almost stop, 
the delicate mouth of the horse sensitive to a shade 
of pressure. 

Longingly he gazes, ‘‘was she there “what was 
she doing.?” “did she think of him.?” his heart gave a 
great throb, he hoped so. 


78 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


The lower part of the house was a blaze of light. 
They rarely entertained. Regina had told him so 
that day, why was the whole place illuminated? 
Looking around the moonlit landscape there was 
scarcely more than a twinkle of light to be seen in 
the houses about. 

Of course she didn’t think of him, she was happy 
among old friends, dancing, singing or jesting. Ah, 
if he could without more ado go up and ring. How 
in his heart that moment he cursed conventionality. 
“To the winds with propriety and precedent, I will 
go in!’’ They are near the gate when he formed this 
decision. 

Immediately another thought arises. 

May there not be another by her side at this 
moment, a chosen and preferred one, listening to 
those liquid tones, which seemed now to sound on 
his ear, “To-morrow, to-morrow,” her last word to 
him that afternoon. 

Was there some handsome fellow now holding her 
hand, perhaps kissing — 

At a sharp twitch of the rein Phyllis starts into a 
rapid trot, they are long past the gate, his heart con- 
tracting with the scorching pain of jealousy, that 
demon always ready to juggle with imagination, and 
though held in contempt we all secretly acknowledge 
his power. 

Why do I love her, he asked himself now; foolish 
question, for she had every charm to enthrall the 
heart. 

Why, was self-evident from the raven crowned 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


79 


head to the tip of her aristocratically proportioned 
feet. 

And right here we venture that Regina Claremont is 
the only heroine on record with a number four foot 
who wore a shoe, and a common sense shoe at that, 
to fit it. In a Grecian sandal it would have been 
revealed a limb of symmetrical and artistic beauty, 
an illustration free from the results of a barbarous 
vanity, each toe as straight and faultless as the day 
she was born. She had feet, knew their worth, and 
dressed them in comfortable fitting shoes with heels 
under the heels, and not under the middle of the 
foot, causing that grotesque gait but a caricature of 
grace. 

Each pink nailed toe had ample room. Remem- 
ber, vain reader, to pinch your feet by will is quite 
generally accepted as evidence that your brain has 
been pinched by nature. Your misfortune? no, brain, 
like the other organs, is subject to development. 

Why did he love her? and his heart answered she 
is charming, lovely, sympathetic, pure and generous. 
Those were the reasons it assigned, and they were 
good enough, he thought. 

Once more they slowly pass, once more he re- 
called her as she had stood that afternoon. 

He would return home, and all the way his thoughts 
were in the same groove. “My beautiful love,’^ he said 
to himself “with her piquant charm and half haughty 
independence.” He sought the library, where a fire 
burned cheerily. 

Eltham, in common with us all, loved a bright grate 
fire. 


8o 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


He threw himself down in a chair feeling greatly 
unlike the man of the morning. He felt disinclined 
to move, again, to read or do anything but sit still 
and think — of her, always of her. 

The cat came purring against the chair, then with 
a graceful spring lit on his knee. Who has not 
watched with interest the wonderfully harmonious 
grace and dexterity of the cat, when in one spring it 
co-ordinates into the movement the entire action of all 
the muscles. They know precisely how far to jump, 
and that with perfect ease. 

Now the purring and sinuous contentment gave 
him a peculiar kind of comfort, a more restless, or 
intelligent animal might not convey. 

“Ah, Tom,” he said at length, after stroking his 
glossy fur, “do you know that I am miserable.^” He 
was sitting by her side talking in low tones all the 
tender words of love, blending thought and action; 
he was with her in thought, but who was really with 
her.!^ 

Ah, the agony of suspense and jealousy, yet could 
he at that moment have looked into the drawing-room 
of General Claremont’s house, he would have beheld a 
young girl in a simple white dress of soft wool, a few 
pink roses in the belt, sitting with one cheek resting 
on her hand, two brilliant eyes reading. 

“He stood beside me, 

The embodied image of the brightest dream, 

That like a dawn heralds the day of life. 

The shadow of his presence made my world 
A Paradise. All familiar things he touched, 

All common words he spake, became to me 
Like forms and sounds of a diviner world.” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


8l 


And had he stood at her elbow^ as she now closed 
the book with a little half sigh of pain, he might 
have read in gilt letters, stamped upon the calf, 
Shelley. 

He would not have been jealous or doubtful of his 
chances had he seen the lines that she read over and 
over again. Those lines, to her, personified himself. 
Could he have read the thoughts her soul mirrored 
now, he would have slept in complacency, but no, 
could he have read or known those thoughts, he 
could not have slept at all. 

Would she come to-morrow,^ 

Rising, he stands long in silence, tlicn exclaims 
aloud: “Is this love or enchantment.^’^ and every 
fiber of his being answered, “Love.” 


CHAPTER XII. 


The following morning was sharp and cold but 
bright. 

Regina, not sensitive to changes of temperature, 
walked to the cottage, and after a short stop, returned 
and dressed for the ride to Baisely. 

“It must be true, father,” she said to the general 
on the way, “that all girls are more or less senti- 
mental, for my love is adorned with a previous flavor 
of romance I have scorned before to recognize 
within my nature.” 

Eltham was standing on the porch, his face smiling 
a more than glad welcome as they cantered up. 
Running down the steps he extended his hand in 
cordial greeting to the general, both hands to the 
girl, then assisted her to alight. 

“You mustn’t feel like strangers here,” he said 
heartily and then concluded, looking in her face, 
“let us become good friends at once.” 

A gracious laugh escaped her as she answered: 

“We are good friends now.” 

After she had sprung to the ground he held her 
hand a moment; to say they were happy at the con- 
tact would be trite and useless, it was bliss to both 
hearts. 

Who has not felt the mysterious warmth which 
82 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


83 


the first touch of a loved being, spreads throughout 
the frame, that rapture they now felt, and in unison 
with that electric touch, he gazed down into her 
eyes sparkling with a blithesome unconsciousness of 
awakening womanhood. 

It required all the strength of mind of which he 
was posessssed not to startle the lovely girl or in- 
cense the father by an indiscreet and premature 
token, or allusion to the consuming love with which 
she had inspired him, and which seemed at this 
moment determined to overpower discretion. 

Regina was not one who would attempt to fan a 
flame of passion b}^ coquettish looks and captivating 
manners, and she would not now dare think she had in- 
spired much more than a passing interest in his mind. 

But her blood quickened as he held her hand, and 
the color came and went in rapid succession on her 
cheek, while her face displayed an unwonted light 
and shade of expression which betrayed the silent 
and responsive thought at his touch, she tried in no 
degree to conceal. What is more admirable than 
intelligent honesty? Perfect candor is sword and 
shield alike for man or woman. 

Eminently upright, her whole soul looked her 
truthful feelings, her open genuine smile sparkled on 
her countenance like the rays of sunshine on a rose. 
Eltham thought, ‘‘her face is divine, with but a touch 
of the mortal in it.” 

“You will find my house much larger than the 
requirements of my family demand,” he said as they 
were about to ascend the steps. 


84 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“Let US inspect the stock first,” exclaimed Regina 
holding back. “I wish to see if the prospects are 
favorable for you to breed finer animals than we 
already have, I doubt it,” she continued archly, “for 
our Floribel and Merzeby are as handsome and speedy 
as one could wish for carriage use, and could a com- 
bination of human selection and blooded stock, result 
in a finer specimen than this?” she added a little 
jubilantly pointing to Restive who now followed her 
without leading up the walk. 

“I could not wish to surpass, but may I not hope 
to equal him?” he returned as a light gust of wind 
blew over her hair and shoulders, some withering 
leaves from the drooping branches of the stately old 
willows they were slowly passing, and he carefully 
brushed them off, picking singly a tenacious few 
from the dark braids. 

He thought, looking at the aristocratic curve of 
her neck and shoulders, “she has the attributes of a 
perverse, impetuous republican with her haughty 
disavowals of it;” if anything had been needed to 
augment his love, it was furnished in this unerring 
proof of her ancestral distance from a plebeian source. 

Her manner seemed to breathe and permeate the 
air of courts and kings, yet she openly and proudly 
acknowledged a democratic obscurity of origin, while 
shedding most lavishly abroad the deeds which 
register the table of our worth, and shame the paltry 
dreary pride (or would but for our selfishness,) that 
lauds, and counts our value to the world sufficient, 
in the empty trumpery and nonsense of blue blood. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


85 


and noble lineage. They both felt a momentary 
wish, eschewing from all motive for so doing to laugh 
aloud which they now did, with a correlative waving 
of explanation, coupled with an invisible but under- 
stood solution of the mutual and rather disquieting 
mutation. 

The general sauntered leisurely ahead, turning 
occasionally to make some remark or suggestion, 
Eltham replying politely, though often at random, his 
eyes and thoughts completely engrossed by the girl 
at his side. The fine steeds were brought out and 
both Regina and her father could scarcely suppress 
a frequent exclamation at the truly magnificent 
collection. 

“I speak for the first foal by Halcyon, out of Peep 
o’ Day,” she said, naming the animals that struck her 
as particularly combining the best points. 

“You shall have first choice above and before all,” 
answered Eltham cordially and leaving the general 
who was interested in a more minute examination, 
they gradually retreated till they traversed the dis- 
tance down the slope to the edge of the lake on 
which a boat was rocking to and fro in the morning 
breeze. 

Insensible to all but the present delight a deep 
silence falls upon them. 

He had longed to sit by her side, he is doing so 
now, he does not trust himself to look into her eyes. 
Neither speak or wish to do so^ there is an absorbing 
restfulness in the charm they feel at this stage of 
their acquaintanceship. All nature seemed brilliant 


86 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


and merry in unison with their rejoicing hearts, even 
now convening in full persuasion of granted petition. 

Ther^ need be no coaxing or entreaty in this case, 
each one confidingly despatched its own essay of 
power, vouchsafing no exclusion to the conqueror. 

“How happy I am,^^ said Regina aloud. 

“Will you tell me why.^’^ he asked tenderly. 

“Not yet,” she answered. 

“May I guess he asked again. 

Not yet,” she repeated. 

The swish, swish of the water a few yards away 
caused them both to look out over its rippling sur- 
face, his hand closed softly over hers, consciously her 
fingers clasped his, and words were then unnecessary. 

“Fine view here, Mr. Eltham.^” 

They both started, smiled. 

“Very,” replied Eltham, answering the general who 
had joined them “You have a fine sweep at Bright- 
wood too, and much more room; by the way, I drove 
by your place last night, general.” 

“Ah, why didn’t you drop in.^” 

“I should have been pleased to, but” — and here 
Eltham tried to frame something about being in 
haste, but his voice sank to an inarticulate tone of 
no meaning, as their eyes met and hers seemed to ask 
“why.^” with a questioning shade of disappointment. 

“You were all ablaze for one thing which led me 
to think there might be something unusual going on, 
and I scarcely felt that I could avail myself of your 
general invitation so soon, it was decidedly lonely 
here last night, I assure you,” he continued. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


87 


“More so than before?” she asked. 

“More lonely than ever before,” he said in a low 
tone. 

“No, we rarely entertain,” said the general, we are 
very disrespectful to local usages, but we do not wish 
to live entirely for ourselves as you will learn when 
you know us better, especially may I say that of my 
daughter of whom I am more than proud.” 

“Oh papa!” 

“More than proud,” the general reiterated. 

Eltham wished to pay her a tribute, a compliment, 
containing no flattery, but one her character nierited, 
yet he contented himself by simply saying, “You 
may well be so, sir.” 

“We do not always attend church,” continued the 
general, “and when we do we brave Mrs. Grundy's 
comments, by exerting a disregard to denomination 
or creed. The golden rule is a good enough religion 
for me; I think, for all, for to do good a man must 
first feel it in his own heart, and no outward show of 
piety, or inward conviction of right can give a truer 
significance to our lives than is given by our deeds 
alone, and I have never knowingly in word or action 
wronged any man,” he ended in a slow quiet voice. 

“Or woman either!” exclaimed his daughter 
proudly, looking over the lake at the swinging boat, 
wishing Eltham and she were in it, and vague con- 
jectures and comparisons of a life by his side flitting 
through her head. 

“Why, general!” 

This exclamation brought Regina to herself and 


88 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


quickly looking up, she was startled at her father’s 
rather pale face and drawn look of suffering. With 
a rapid bound she was at his side, her arms around 
his neck. 

“Dear papa, what is it.^ come sit down.’’ 

“A little dizziness, that’s all, Reggie, I feel better 
now.” 

But she insisted that he must sit. 

How this old man longed every day to tell his 
daughter the whole truth, and hear her lips say that 
the unsullied years of his life wiped out the former 
stain, but he lacked the courage, he feared her just 
contempt. 

“I am well now,” he said, half rising, but they 
would not listen and made him remain seated for a 
long time. 

Looking at her anxious face he thought, “no, he 
could not destroy her peace or confidence and pride 
in him, she nor the world should never know.” 

A robin lit singing on a bough above her head, so 
might her life be as free from care. She must not 
know him, as one v/ho could once have cast a woman 
from her high estate of virtue. Wretched man, he could 
not after all these years defraud the punishment of 
conscience, and he closed his eyes as if in weary 
resignation to bear his burden alone in everlasting 
silence. 

Eltham pressed them to enter the house, and the 
general, apparently recovered, arose, but took his 
daughter’s arm to quiet her concern, trying to explain 
away her fears as they went. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


8g 


Passing through an octagonal vestibule, richly 
ornamented, they entered a spacious, wainscoted 
room, with chimney-pieces finely wrought in orna- 
mental carvings from mantel to ceiling. Vases of 
fiowers on every hand, dispersed with here and there 
a gem of art, showed the occupant’s culture 

The whole place breathed a concordance of present 
comfort and departed splendor. Elthain urged the 
general to a glass of wine, and the latter, though 
affirming perfect recovery from his slight indisposi- 
tion, accepted and over a light lunch they discussed 
a variety of topics. 

From concentration of capital and aesthetics of 
courtesy, to the ethics of marriage, and finally ‘4s 
life after all worth living,” and what comprises true 
happiness, to which Regina made reply, “Life is 
worth living, if only to find the wondrous workings 
of the human mind. How each year adds more 
knowledge to our store. E’en from our birth, till 
memory is no more.” “I believe the secret of true 
happiness, the only happiness, consists in simplicity, 
a curbing of unwholesome longings, to be content 
with what may come to us, with no undue striving 
after the high or unknown.” 

“You would not discourage ambition.?” asked Mr. 
Eltham. 

“No, but I would greatly modify it, and all desire 
which has grown to such a monster in the average 
human heart, ever spurring its victims to new 
avenues of conquest, till they lose sight of the noble 
purpose of creation, the high and better aims of 
human and individual life.” 


go 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“In striving for enjoyment, we no doubt sacrifice 
many of our duties?” he said. 

“Not enjoyment and not sorrow is our destined end or way. 

But to act that eaeh to-mcrrow find us farther than to-day,” 

farther in the accomplishment of good, in the as- 
sistance of the downtrodden. Farther in a curtailing 
of those fatal and prevalent evils, which study 
but to foster their own demoralizing power, a power 
which in the end will cause an uprising in compari- 
son to which the records of the French.” 

“Are you a socialist. Miss Claremont?” asked 
Eltham in mock alarm. 

“I don’t know what I am, Mr, Eltham,” she re- 
plied seriously, “but I know what I am not, and that 
is a believer in the present order of affairs. It is 
better for us all to have an occupation, men and 
women, our capacity for pleasure would be broadened 
by lack of too much leisure.” 

Eltham cared little for these subjects, except in a 
casual way, he thought the evils of the world irre- 
deemable and beyond any general regulation, and just 
at this moment the suffering of a world was too 
weird an air to be heard above the delicious melody 
now ringing in his soul. 

“You are very fond of flowers,” the girl said. 

“I am fond of everything beautiful. And you love 
to surround yourself with animals, don’t you?” 

“Yes, I think the more animals we have around us, 
the more human we are.” 

General Claremont now broaches the subject of 
returning home. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


91 


Eltham lifts her into the saddle, her weight no 
greater than a pressure attended by the bounding 
spring with which she assists him. 

‘‘If you should be riding by tomight, drop in,’’ said 
the general. 

“Don’t ride by — ride over,” added his daughter. 

“May I.?” 

“Nay, do.” 

“How kind you are,” he said. 

“No, I am only selfish,” she responded. 

Restive reared suddenly. Eltham sprang as if to 
grasp the rein, but she waved him away saying 
smilingly: “If you could see the runs and leaps I 
make him perform at times you would not start ” 

He runs his hand down the long glistening neck of 
the impatient animal, who breaks away to passade 
and cavort in a manner which makes the onlooker’s 
brows knit, he does not fear she will be thrown, but 
dislikes these skittish antics that always contain an 
element of danger. 

“You learned to ride abroad” he asked after the 
horse quieted down. 

“In Paris.” 

“I thought so,” he said. 

“But one can learn to ride as skillfully here,” she 
asserted. 

“Not as gracefully though,” was his answer. 

With a few parting words they are off. He standing 
there, watches them with much the same sentiment she 
had felt at his leaving the day before, a dead unbroken 
hush seemed to reign throughout the whole place. 


CHAPTER XIIL 


Eltham felt as if all the sunlight of the day had 
gone. 

Our hearts are too little at our command to love or 
hate as we may choose, and though miserable now, 
he would not have loved her less. Her smiles showed 
esteem for him, and when she bestowed her hand at 
paiting had she again said, “Come,” or was it the 
eagerness of his own heart he fancied had found ex- 
pression on her lips. 

A mirthless kind of sound escaped him as he thought 
how wholly poetic fancies were runing riot within 
him. 

“I must assume some interest in matters,” he 
thought starting for the stable, but the sweet eyes 
floated before his face, defying forgetfulness. 

He heard one of his men shout lustily to another, 
then strike into a rollicking Irish song. Pausing, he 
listened to the melody, then half smiled to himself 
at the fulsome brogue and devil may care words. 

The bird which lit over her head now started its 
gay carol from the glade beyond; following its song 
he found himself again on the edge of the lake; leap- 
ing into the boat, he seated himself, noting the clear 
shallow depths minutely reflecting the leaves and 
specks of gleaming sky through the foliage. 

92 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


93 


Unloosing the chain and picking up the oars, with 
a few strokes of his powerful arms he shoots out 
almost to the middle of the lake. 

She had not been gone a half hour and how he 
longed for a sight of her again. Yes, fate had brought 
them together. 

The bird still sang as though it would burst its 
little throat, he looked upon it as a good omen, and 
began to whistle softly to himself, then to hum and 
finally found himself singing out in full voice as if in 
joyous opposition to the feathered songster, feeling a 
great wish to thank God for something, a great mis- 
take averted ten years before, a common mistake 
which nearly always brings unpleasant if not fatal 
consequences, that of too early welding the chain of 
matrimony, which in seeking to find a vulnerable 
point to break the galling link, and satisfy the 
judge, too often ends in a serious scandal vexing the 
righteousness of truthful union. 

Josephine Meldon was an attractive girl whom he 
met during college days; she was fifteen, he twenty. 
He could see her now, her pretty doll face framed in 
yellow curls, dimples which always appeared to him 
like little mouths asking to be kissed. Beside the 
simple and usual beauty of her face now rose the 
grand overpowering loveliness of Regina Claremont. 

“My sweet love,’^ he whispered to himself, then 
closed his eyes and smiled as he thought of his awful 
despair when Joe’s folks had locked her up, and their 
wild dreams of elopement. Oh, fatal unguided step 
of willful hearts, that scorns the voice of experience; 


94 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


girls, don’t turn from your mother’s prudent words, 
the fancy of your youth is seldom lasting. 

Its heated blood has blasted more lives than sick- 
ness or disease. 

Consider well! 

Think, the hand you now clasp in eager longing, 
the lips that kiss your own in constant ardor, may 
smile on you, a wife, in sarcasm or contempt, utter a 
volley of vile epithets, hurl at your head a thunderous 
order of command, raise his hand and strike you to 
the floor. Yes, it is possible he might do this and 
statistics don’t dispute that he can do more, at those 
times when your own sweet temper, we must add, 
puts in those little points of exquisite nagging, and 
injured sense of suffering, some women love to feel 
their own particular province. 

Halt to read, both man and woman too, before 
that step which God, and all good men, alike declare, 
unchangeable. 

Eltham had lived to see his first fancy married, 
and, to the world, happily so. But she was a vain and 
handsome creature, fond of admiration and such 
women are seldom contented with the compliments 
a husband gives. They met a couple of years after at 
a legation ball. 

“Was she happy 

“Indeed no, her husband was cold and indifferent, 
took more interest in business than in her, had a 
violent temper, was altogether intolerable. Would he 
come to see her, she was so lonely and unhappy, he 
could comfort her, brighten the dull hours of fashion- 
able routine, would he not come.^^” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


95 


They were in the conservatory, two waving palms 
concealing them from the sauntering few, her face 
was raised in enticing expectancy, but he disappointed 
her. 

He did not kiss, nor did he visit or meet her ever 
by appointment or design. 

His sense of honor towards other men’s wives was 
not a theory, he coveted no doubtful glory in the line 
of lady killer, smooth rogues who would raise their 
shoulders at an expressed sentiment against a recog- 
nized canon of “good breeding. 

He would have killed without a moment’s hesitation 
the man or woman who betrayed him; and believed 
that the one redress any honorable man could employ. 
There is nothing light, vain, or treacherous about this 
one, nothing to which a man must either play tyrant 
or victim; truth becomes a woman more than all else. 

How that girl could love, could he win her.? he 
could but try. 

“It is the tender home feeling, this settled repose of 
affection that is the parent of true virtue and purest 
enjoyment after all,^’ he said to himself, then repeated: 
“The treasures of the deep are not so precious as are 
the concealed comforts of a man locked up in woman’s 
love. There is no happier lot, than to have a wife 
and children.’^ 


CHAPTER XIV. 


That evening Regina heard the bell. Waiting for 
no ceremony, she bounded down the hall, opening 
the door, holding out both hands which he eagerly 
grasped, and held longer than in the morning. 

She had been beautiful to him in the twilight dusk 
of their first meeting, in the amber curtained light of 
the day before, in the broad searching glare of the 
morning; but it seemed to him now that his eyes had 
never beheld anything so incomparably dazzling as 
at this moment, when she stood before him. His 
heart failed; could she be forhim?^’ 

He did not know how handsome he looked himself 
just then, but she did. 

He would never forget her as she looked now, yet a 
simpler dress she could not have worn. 

“Come in, come in!’^ she cried. And as they 
traverse the hall she adds: “We want you to 
join us in a game.” 

“Of what.!^” 

“Fd better whisper it,” she answered naively. 

“Well,” bending his head down while her lips just 
brush his ear. 

“Poker.” 

Their cheeks touched slightly. 

96 




7 ^- 


V. • ,•* 

* • 


1 - 


• . » 


W V _ • 


rrs 


Jr* 


,.4 • --■ 




4 ** 4 ., 

^ , .* 
^ »* • - * 


w:-'. -! 






f \ 




4» 

4 .> 


4 » 

• w 


p>'V 

•'vV- 


. ,•*-♦*■■ 



-• -’A 

a. .. \- 






^ - > *■ 


IS •. - 'mvr' 

• ^ : .' 

^li^- s 


f: 


*'•. ' " 
S 

} ♦ * 






r*i/r vW- s^^V/; 


' -^,S: 



■/. 




, >*-•. 


' - "r C-- 






V 1 




. . . r 

■ ■ -' • i^' * 




.* . * *r *. J ■• 




. 1 . 


‘-r- 




f "* 


> .' 4 ^ 

>V‘ 


< .. 

f . . 


<• 


. . Jt 



/• 


: »'. 


7*^ 


-V 
- « 
- • 


4.»’ 


»/ 

■’ > 


. « 




.1, 


« 


4 


- .% 


( 




-•» 


I ♦ - 

. > 



*« 


■• % 




• f 


f % 





Looking at her snowy arms he thought, Chains ot love, shall I ever 
feel the link of your sweet fetters?” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


97 


She wore a dress of cream nun’s veiling, white 
hyacinths at the belt. 

They looked at each other a second after the 
whispered word. 

It is said time will tell us what we can and cannot 
do, but time was a slow moving dragon here, that 
must be slain. 

Entering the drawing room they seated themselves 
by a little ebony table inlaid with agate and mother- 
of-pearl, the soft braids of her hair seeming to shame 
by their superior gloss the table on which she leaned 
one snowy arm. Looking at those arms he thought, 
“Chains of love, will I ever feel the link of your sweet 
fetters.?’^ 

“Do you play our American game she now asked. 

“Yes, but you are the first lady with whom I have 
had that pleasure. Is it common among them here 

“I believe not, but we prefer it to whist, and I 
win papa’s money with a true gambler’s love of gain. 
The stakes are very small,” she finished with a gay 
laugh. 

Eltham was a trifle nonplussed, here was a freedom 
contrary to all his former social experiences, this 
frank and independent spirit charmed him more and 
more. 

“Your customs are so at variance — ” he began. 

“With what you have known,” she interrupted with 
thoughtless impoliteness; “you will find plenty who 
are superlatively conventional, but we are a law unto 
ourselves and our neighbors scarcely know what to 
make of us, but we are so satisfactorily situated 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


financially, they doubtless call our independence 
^quaint eccentricity’ or ‘droll originality.’ I really 
do not know or care,^’ she ended with grim sarcasm. 

“A sensible arrangement in one’s home, the etiquette 
of breeding, comes from a kind heart which must 
ever prompt the highest mandate of true politeness, 
regardless of form,’’ he said. “But tell me of those 
adopted grandchildren your father spoke of. I have 
really been curious to have the mystery explained.” 

“Can I do so, Mr. Eltham, without causing you to 
think I wish to distinguish myself as a philanthropist, 
or that I seek a puny notoriety through the common 
fad of my class, charity.^” 

“Whatever you may do, Miss Claremont,” (he 
wanted to say “darling,” wanted to take her to his 
heart, and tell the love and longing he felt, )“I believe 
to be prompted by no motive but generosity, and 
loyalty itself, certainly your sense of duty and justice 
exceeds your years.” 

“Justice !” she answered, “there is no justice. I 
was born an heiress, too rich by far for my necessity or 
extravagantly acquired wants, another girl, hundreds 
and thousands of girls in every natural attribute my 
equal if not superior, are sent into a life of binding and 
degrading poverty, for poverty is degrading, the one 
enemy self respecting man most dreads. Your poverty 
is a crime as well as a degradation to-day. Who 
cares for you, when you have nothing.^ Nobody! 
Thank God! I have never had to work and battle 
with the world, but that fact but makes me doubly 
sympathetic for those who do. I have never put my 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


99 


foot upon the necks of those whose obsequious nature 
and necessity humbled them before me. I would 
rather put my hand upon their heads and bid them 
look up to the light of knowledge coming nearer day 
by day. To such straights and measures are they 
reduced that you nor I, and men and women with 
a grain of power or becoming means are not doing their 
duty unless fighting for their redemption as a vital and 
a national issue. Oh, I will not fume, I will tell you 
of my babies, bright little cherubs gathered from the 
by-ways and ditches, created, and since they are so, 
must we not believe by the hand of God.^ There’s 
no surplus of children in the homes of the rich, you 
know, nor the respectably poor. Affluence crushes 
the result of an instinct which poverty seems to foster. 
You look strangely at me, Mr. Eltham, are you sur- 
prised at these words, or sentiments Sentiments 
every true woman should feel, truths they should all 
study and know.” 

“You both surprise and interest me, pray go on,” 
he said seriously. 

“If I have surprised and interested you, I may now 
shock you, and as I may not make easy gradations to 
the climax, be fully prepared to sustain any injury to 
what we call modesty, a false thing, so largely and 
uselessly cultivated, that we are blind to the prompt- 
ings of the heart and a conscientious pursuance of 
duty.” 

“I can endure any pain you might inflict, speak 
openly to me, you will not be misunderstood,” he 
said. 


lOO 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“I will speak openly. It is needless for me to say, 
I presume, that I have never been interfered with by 
any teachings or suppressions that would prevent my 
understanding what in common all girls should 
properly know as well as anyone else in the world, 
do you not agree with me^” 

“I do,’’ he answered, ^^and have frequently thought 
of the importance of various, not to say vital subjects, 
their best welfare demands should be wholly unfolded 
to them. But where can the line of limitation be 
drawn, and permit their innocence to remain?” 

^‘There should be no lines drawn in the limitation 
of useful knowledge, for in that is woman’s salvation, 
and we want innocence only in children. Purity, not 
innocence is all we need, and it is enough for man- 
kind to require, and purity and correct knowledge, 
are both harmonious and consistent,” she said. 

Then in a few words she told him of her charges, 
the heart-breaking scenes with young innocent girls 
“which convinced me that innocence as we under- 
stand the word to-day is often a blighting form of 
ignorance; these, most of them young and trusting girls, 
betrayed and nonchalently abandoned,” she went on 
excitedly, “by wretches whose defiant knowledge of 
custom, a spurious safeguard, spurious as their black 
hearts that never peep from out the cover of a benign- 
ant smile permitting all things to themselves, sin in 
others, but experiment only for them. Lauding be- 
fore the world the brilliant jewel chastity, sternly 
frowning in sweeping horror on all the guilty deeds 
of female human error. Society always, often the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


lOI 


law, protects them. But the woman, frail vessel of 
trust, may be dependence, approached and often in- 
timidated by those who would not dare address one 
of his own class, yet easily expects or impudently 
demands the lowlier one should yield, employing all 
tricks of deception, falsehood and pretense, anything 
to compass design. In the end, why is a woman 
less worthy of love, respect and honor than he? 
Were a man to so wrong me! — ” 

“Don’t, don’t,” he answered hastily seizing her 
hand and making a movement as though to brush 
the table from between them, then he dropped it sud - 
denly, and drew his handkerchief across his brow. 

She continued: 

“Rotten to the core are the hearts of these men, 
who, after a record whose deeds if known would 
bring the blush of shame to their own hardened faces, 
look for in their wives and too often receive innocence 
and truth. And they speak of love, the purest in- 
stinct of noble hearts, the vile empty shells in their 
breasts know but the meaning of depravity.” 

Eltham’s heart kindled with a guilty reproach. 
True if he walked the world through he would be in 
no danger of meeting a sad eyed woman whose child 
would accuse him in the revengeful intensity of a 
later understanding as the criminal author of his 
chance being. 

Regina was right, he thought of her as Regina, 
beautiful Reggie, then spoke somewhat apologetically, 
as if ashamed to try and defend his sex after this 
biting fusilade of eloquence, for he knew she was 
nearer the truth than was pleasant to hear. 


102 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“You know man is a whimsical mixture of good 
and evil, and though men and women were born 
alike, with the same inclinations, affections and re- 
straints (morally we have the latter now) man would 
never be as pure as woman, nor will society ever 
demand that he shall be.’^ 

“Then until it does, Mr. Eltham, will the decep- 
tion of my sex continue.’^ 

“There can be no comparison,’^ he replied, “you 
must allow the honor of men and women is not the 
same, the fiat of society must control the woman, for 
she is a perpetual contradiction in herself; her truth 
or falsity must safely barricade or ruin the home; 
they are and must continue to be, the spotless shaft 
of our own honor’s best protection.” 

“And the men.^”’ with a shade of hauteur. “Will 
doubtless, deplorable as it is, continue to the end in 
the enjoyment of greater personal liberty.” 

Eltham felt insane to think he was fit to win her. 
What would he not have given, years of his life, to 
look into her face spotless as herself, she was a prize 
the highest might pride themselves in winning. He 
now, somehow, in a tumult of feeling, without his 
own volition, experienced the most abhorrent conjec- 
tures; she was his, this gracious queenly girl, who 
sat here gazing at him with a tenderness unmistak- 
able. His forever, could he grow cold to her, com- 
placently seek outside his own home the company of 
less deserving womanhood, and coming home meet 
with unruffled conscience those lips in smiling confi- 
dent greeting.^ false to the best instinctive teachings 
of heart, to her loyal fidelity 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


103 


She sat nearest the fire, shading her face with a 
delicate screen, tilting it between her long ringless 
fingers, saying, “Tell me a ghost story, or legend, 
Mr. Eltham, a real creepy one,” while his thoughts 
like malignant demons grip at his heart. The air 
seems heavy with unseen voices, seem to hem him 
in at every turn of the mind breathing, suspicion, 
deception and guilt. 

Then comes a blasphemous and intrusive one that 
shakes his heart and soul in its withering clutch. 

In sickening anguish he closed his eyes, but his 
brain would not be tranquilized, it throbbed the 
thought that she, smarting under the sting of a real 
or fancied indifference, had returned in the armis of 
another, the caresses she thought his own no longer 
willingly bestowed. 

Would she be one to descend to vulgar duplicity, 
“watch for a convenient moment to escape from her 
home, covering her face with a double veil, and return 
calmly to play an ignoble comedy?” or would there 
be “but one step from the highest to the lowest, 
honesty in her fall and courage in her shame.” He 
could not check or silence the demon thought, she 
might it persisted, even the high and noble had fallen 
might not she too, as well as they? Why not, she 
was a woman, and all the lovable ones are weak, it 
is said. He could not continue, his head grew dizzy 
at his brain’s unholy suggestions. A groan escaped 
him as he closed his eyes with an expression of deep 
pain. 

“What is it, what is the matter?” she asked, spring- 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


104 

ing to her feet and holding out her hands as if in un- 
conscious entreaty; he could only think, “I want to 
receive her now, take her to me forever under my 
own protection and love/^ Forcing a smile to his face 
he answered: 

“I feel better, it was nothing, I assure you,’^ 

Ah yes, if a thought could breed such unapproach- 
able agony of mind, it was right indeed to annex 
infamy to the loss of honor, in either man or woman. 
Honor of itself rightly, should know or be controlled 
by no law or circumstance, sex or condition, but pre- 
vail through its own force and truth, through all con- 
ditions and all time. 

His emotions almost forced him at the moment to 
speak, but restraining himself he thought, ^‘she would 
call it folly, madness.” 

Yet, would she. Who can say and prove it is not 
wisdom to allow the impulses of the heart unchecked 
latitude when only noble thoughts control the spring 
of action. 

He vowed this moment as he had many times be- 
fore to himself, that fortune should soon favor him in 
the bestowal of this girl a bride. 

Rallying as if to break the silence he was happily 
spared the necessity by the entrance of the general, 
whose face combined with its smile of welcome an 
expression which plainly said, understand the 
situation here.” But he didn’t understand it exactly. 

Pinching his daughter’s burning cheek he laid his 
paper aside, asking jovialy, “Well, Mr. Eltham, do 
you play our game.^” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


105 


“I do indeed, sir, and I may say with almost, if not 
quite, the zest and pleasure of a native born/' 


CHAPTER XV. 


Now the cards are brought out, and they all draw 
up to the little ebony table, with the constraint of a 
moment before gradually disappearing. 

. Regina shuffles them and with a decidedly profes- 
sional air and tone exclaims: “Cut for deal. I am a 
real gambler, she continued laughing. “You are the 
banker, papa!” 

She still seemed a little nervous or confused, 
Eltham thought, as he looked earnestly at her, her 
voice was slightly tremulous, her clear eyes troubled, 
those eyes that few could look into their beauti- 
ful depths, and not feel the strange charm of their 
fascination. Two bright spots burned on her cheeks, 
his wild looks and actions had upset her. Was she 
offended, she had not looked at him, but avoided his 
glance he fancied. Making a hasty movement, he 
attracted her notice. The general stooped to pick 
up a card, and leaning forward he whispered: “You 
will forgive my singular behavior I trust, won’t you 
He had felt at the time like a fierce tiger battling 
with the demon his imagination had so insanely con- 
jured up. 

Her only reply was an expression eloquent of her 
inward feelings, she felt now that nothing could ever 
supplant the love in her heart for this man, the 
106 



■' ' *' 5 "* ‘ 

v>'.. 





k ’. 


' I 


* 

^ ';*>■- 

Vn'-'h 






•S. » 


.V 




■.-V 


■< 





'- t • . .i'' ■ * .• ‘ . . . • 

-■’*-* Vi- ' ■ ^ ■• ' 

''-i* 

‘Vl V ..nci- 




s » • 


•' . -• 


a 













.'• r* 



ft 





A heart full of kindness for all living things. 








A ROYAL HEIRESS 


107 


delirium seemed to warn her finer sensibilities, the 
knowledge of the strength of her passion sobered, and, 
for the moment, almost saddened her, could there be 
a barrier, this happiness itself was almost pain. 

The click, click, of the ivory chips on the ebony 
giving forth that hard metallic sound alone broke the 
silence then a satisfied ejaculation from the general. 

Dombey came up and in mute friendliness raised 
one huge paw and was about to place it on the deli- 
cate dress of his mistress, but she quietly put it 
aside, and with a gentle assurance of favor, in the 
form of a few kind words, the great creature sank 
with a contented sigh at her feet. 

Eltham, raising rather unproportionately on a pair 
of kings and sevens, notes every little movement, 
conveying as it does to him growing evidence of her 
absolute kindness to all living things. 

“I shall proceed to call you, Mr. Eltham,^’ she said 
with a gayety and smile whose momentous intimation 
might be construed to imply that her doing so was 
but magnanimity, and the laying down of the hands 
for inspection, an unnecessary formality, as the jack- 
pot was already hers. 

The general had dropped out after the third round. 

“Your kings and sevens are rather pretty, but aces 
and jacks more symmetrical as well as decisive,” she 
laughed, sweeping them in with a dash containing 
just a tinge of that almost malicious delight usually 
inseparable from the spirit of the woman winner at the 
poker table, even when the maximum figure of 
limitation is one nickel. 


io8 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


‘‘Deal ’em, papa! You’re shy a chip there, Mr. 
Eltham, I want to win everything on the board,” and 
they all laugh at this sally. 

“I wouldn’t have called you, Mr. Eltham, had I 
been sure you quite understood the game,” Regina 
continued. 

Eltham highly gratified at the badinage of her 
tone, entered into the spirit of the hour, heartily 
responding: 

“I should have stood an unlimited raise from you, 
Miss Claremont, for I am almost sure, at least I 
suspect you capable of a good game of bluff.” 

“Indeed she is,” laughed the general, “she’d steal 
your last nickel with a bobtail flush, yes, yes, call her 
every time that’s my advice, Mr. Eltham.” 

“Papa you mean thing let me win some of his 
money learning my play, won’t you.^” she said, 
adding: “Wait till I tell you what he did one night: 
he bet every chip he had on three deuces, and when 
I called him, one of his deuces was a tray, and he 
always declared he discarded the other at the draw, 
but I never quite believed it.” 

“You rogue,” said the general. 

“Cut ’em, pa!” 

Now they all look silently at their hands. 

“Cards! how.^ what! not any, not one.? hear that, 
Mr. Eltham, standing pat, and between you and me 
I doubt if he’s got a pair or better. Remember, this 
is queens or better.” 

The game waxes warm, a poker table is a great 
leveler of sentiment for the time being. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


109 

“I shall get the children’s winter clothing to- 
morrow, and you gentlemen should feel great pleasure 
at the direction the fickle goddess points her finger, 
as the money will be used for a laudable purpose/’ 

In jest and happy laughter the time flies rapidly by. 

Presently the general touches a bell, 
bottle of 42, Henry.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

Click, click, click, the red white and blue are 
heaped in scattered profusion on the table. 

Regina suddenly gives a little feminine shriek, how 
a woman loves to gamble, how much better she loves 
to win. 

The betting is growing animated now. 

“Take your foot off my chair, papa, do you want 
to break my luck.^ get up and walk around yours, 
Mr. Eltham!” 

“You witch,” said her father, “I believe you stack 
the cards.” 

“Change decks!” she cried. 

This was the superstitious cue for another burst of 
merriment that roused Dombey from his dreams; 
sitting up he looked from one to the other in sleepy 
reproach for their lack of consideration for his 
slumbers, then spreading his great jaws in a gutteral 
yawn, he sank back on the floor as Henry entered 
with the wine. 

The general, thinking it time to close the game, 
called. 

Regina gave a little moue of disappointment, but 
laid down her hand with a bright twinkle of antago- 


no 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


nism in her eye. The general held three aces and 
backed up his convictions pretty disastrously. 

Eltham a queen, full wholly, justifying his play, 
Regina a royal flush which she laid down with all a 
woman’s exclamation points and enthusiasm, raking 
in the pot with the avidity of a Monte Carlo habitue. 

“Look, Mr. Eltham, papa! I held up these three, 
nine, ten, jack, and filled, consecutively too — ” and 
clapping her hands together, she jumped up, threw 
her arms around the general’s neck, giving him a 
sudden kiss, then stepping with a little elastic bound 
over the dog, trips to the piano and breaks out 
merrily, “Bravo, victorious ones, see your foes de- 
feated fall.” 

“Will you forgive me for holding all the good hands, 
Mr. Eltham, I am not a bit of a philosopher when I 
lose, I assure you, don’t I get glum, papa.^^” 

“You get mad,” he answered. 

“Not really mad, papal” 

“Yes, you do, I’ve seen you when you would hardly 
say good-night after losing twenty-five cents.” 

“Oh, Mr. Eltham, you don’t believe that, do you.^” 

“Yes,” he answered, “I’m afraid I do.” 

Wine and biscuit are served and they chat for a 
while under the warmth of Bacchus, the eyes of these 
already lovers seem to telegraph messages of hope 
and expectation. 

Ten o’clock. He must go, go to pass another night 
of doubly anxious longing after the communicated 
happiness of her manner to-night. The general bids 
him good night with a cordial invitation to come often. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


III 


Regina walks down the long hall by his side, Dom- 
bey at their heels. 

‘‘Come often and get robbed,” she said trying still 
to keep up the evening’s light tone of gayety, but 
could not; they were alone. 

“Did you lose very heavily?” she inquired with 
feigned solemnity. 

“Very heavily,” he returned, then in a half whisper, 
“I lost all to-night, but in future may I hope to win?” 

“I will give you a chance to do so,” she answered 
steadily. 

“And will there be no one else in the game?” 

“Only papa,” in a low tone. 

“One must hold the cards.” 

“In this game they must,” she answered. 

“And you will not bluff?” 

“Never.” 

At these words she could not still the throbbing of 
her heart. “He loves me, he loves me,” it kept 
repeating. 

He looked for her eyes, they were downcast. 
Could he have done so, he would have qualified his 
present pain only by adding to it, by placing those 
arms about his neck, intensified it by feeling the 
pressure of the beautiful head on his heart, laying 
the soft cheek against his own, the lips — but could 
it be, would the present joy or memory of it after, 
be worth the pain of parting. 

They must part, and often before they could wed, 
but he resolved this moment it should not be long, 
one month should not pass before she should be his, 
his wife, his very own. 


II2 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


The blood of a passionate indiscretion ran riot in 
their veins. 

They pass out onto the verandah, the sharp air 
chills her, stepping back into the hall, he takes a 
warm shawl and wraps it tenderly about her. 

She gives a little sigh, eloquent in its involuntary 
longing, their hands meet and clasp and, drawing 
near to each other, they look up at the stars which 
seem like diamond lamps hung up in the dome of a 
great cathedral. 

Might she not say with the brook,” said Regina 
looking at the moon, “^men may come and men go, 
but 1 go on forever. Then changing her tone quickly 
cried. ‘‘Look, Mr. Eltham; see, that light across 
the meadow, that’s where my babies are, and may I 
while I live bear in mind their helplessness; con- 
demned and forlorn, breathing emblems of circum- 
stance, as I look into their innocent faces beamdng 
with all the love of their little hearts, may mine 
become iron, my will steel to strike on every hand 
the infamous conditions which permit and abet 
their misfortunes; and though vain and weak as the 
beating of a fly against the pane, I would, though 
accomplishing nothing, still feel the humble measure 
of my doing had not been all in vain.” 

“Have you fully considered all the possibilities the 
entire responsibility of these children must entail?” 

“I have, are you not in sympathy with me, with 
them ?” she asked. 

“In a measure, yes, but life is a stormy and event- 
ful track at best we cannot seem to transform it, and 


A ROYAV HEIRESS 


II3 

indeed many demonstrate daily, with everything to 
live for, that existence is not worth enduring whatever 
its benefits, time only can tell if you performed an 
act of charity in rescuing them from an early death, 
which your care doubtless did for most of them.’^ 

“Bertrand Eltham, are you a pessimist?” 

The name passed her lips, as if she had spoken it 
every day of her life. 

“No, not exactly, Regina.” 

She could not discern his face in the darkness, 
but the inexpressible tenderness with which he had 
uttered her name. Yes she must draw her hands 
away, it was too sweet. 

About to do so, his but renew a firmer hold, for 
a second only, then he released them and passed 
slowly down the steps. 

“Good night,” he called gently. 

“Good night, keep your horse to the right and 
drive carefully, just beyond the turn the road has 
caved in. Good-night, again.” 

With thanks and assurances of care regarding the 
point he is gone. The vehemence of the love within 
her was struggling with a mighty force and she cried 
out on the still night air, “Eltham, do not go, do not 
leave me yet!” then she felt ashamed and called aloud 
to the dog beneath the trees running down and out 
onto the lawn as if in jubilant mischief. 

Luckily he had not heard her words. Pausing to 
hear the roll of wheels die away, she entered the 
house and softly closed the door. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


The picture of a life with and for him, was now the 
one thought of all consciousness. Returning to the 
drawing-room she walked up to her father and cud- 
dled close around his nerk, while something suspi- 
ciously like tears shone in her eyes. 

A little sniff caused him to draw her around and 
look inquiringly into her face. 

“What for.?” he asked. 

“I cannot tell, it is a struggle for me to subdue 
myself, my heart is redolent of a problem scarcely a 
compliment to my womanhood. Father, I am 
ashamd of myself, ashamed of this craving for an 
entire stranger.” 

“And I am ashamed of you, Reggie, this energy of 
fancy is too pronounced, I fear it will prove a delusion. 
What if he should not return this love.?” 

“He will, he does return it, but the shortness of 
our acquaintance, prevented him from declaring it to- 
night, I am sure of it.” 

“You are excited, go to bed now, and remember, 
we know nothing of this man, that he is a gentleman 
no one can doubt, but these alarming symptoms of 
yours must go through a severe winnowing process, 
and become amenable to my decision concerning the 
chaff or grain of their composition. This seems to 


A ROYAL HEIRES 


II5 

be a crisis with you, my child, when youth and folly 
would commingle to wrest through nature, results your 
whole future life might deplore” wait till you know 
him better, wait until you know yourself. Where is 
my sensible girl of a few days ago?” 

A mist swam before her eyes for a second, never 
before had her father spoken so seriously to her, she 
buried her head on his shoulder, he stroked her hair, 
and after a moment, when calmer, she raised her 
head saying: 

“You are right, father, have no fear, this unac- 
countable feeling shall be overcome, this signal change 
in my character nullified or brought to rational sub- 
mission. My heart shall yield to reason’s logic no 
matter what its pain.” 

She lingered no longer. “Good night, father, who 
so fit to counsel me as you, I shall never forfeit the 
respect a true daughter owes an honorable father.” 

She ascended to her room, imbued with the sense 
of duty she owed her father, herself, and the man she 
loved, her ears escaping the deep sigh which issued 
from his lips at the close of her words. 

One fact came calmly to her brain. Marriages 
contracted in such distracted fancies, usually ended 
in hostility and coldness, if not separation. 

A mortifying feature now occurred to her, that she 
had already committed herself to Eltham, still she 
tried to mollify her conscience by the fact that no 
words had been spoken, forgetting those few, of such 
direct tenor, and her own agile and literally correct 
adaptation of them. 


ii6 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


The clock chimed eleven. 

Slipping off the creamy gown it fell apart from its 
silken lining and lay in a shining, inanimate mass at 
her feet, then she adjusts a pair of comfortable slip- 
pers, and, sitting in her snowy night-gown before the 
fire, leant upon her hand in a long and pre-occupied 
dream, but joy effaced all other thoughts, for she 
believed now that he loved her too. 

At breakfast the next morning, both father and 
daughter were equally surprised to have Mr. Eltham 
announced. 

‘‘Show him right in here,” said the general. 

He stood at the door smiling. 

It seemed to her, no woman could have known and 
not loved him, yet he was free. Something whispered 
there could be but one woman for this man, and that 
one he had never met, her heart gladly sanctioned 
any argument which seemed an evidence that he was 
meant for her alone. 

“You bring the fresh air with you,” she said taking 
his extended hand and drawing him down by her side. 

“Yes,” he returned after greeting the general, “fresh 
air and a little news also.” 

“You’ll have a cup of coffee, won’t you she asked. 

“Well, yes, I will since you are so good as to ask 
me,” he answered lightly. 

“You know a woman’s curiosity don’t you, now 
what’s the news.^” 

“My early morning call is to say good-bye,” he 
resumed, “as I leave on the one o’clock train for the 
west.” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


II7 

Regina started with a half gasping breath, while a 
fierce pang at the heart made her color and grow 
pale. 

“Will you be away long?” she faltered. 

No change of her face or voice, escaping his watch- 
ful eye. 

“Two weeks at least,” he replied. 

“Not longer?” in a tone that seemed half coaxing 
authority, not lost on Eltham. 

“Even less, if I can possibly do so,” he returned. 

He now explained at a question from the general 
that a despatch received that morning concerning the 
sale of a large tract of land in the west, called him 
thither. 

Sauntering into the drawing-room he was saying 
to her again: “I shall make my stay as brief as the 
business will allow, and may 1 be encouraged by the 
hope that I shall be remembered?” 

“Need you ask?” 

“I want the assurance.” 

“You would never be forgotten,” she said, looking 
intently at him. “Shall we hear from you?” 

“Often,” he replied. 

“I am sure you will enjoy the journey,” she said 
looking away. 

“No pleasure could equal what I have known in 
the past two days,” he answered. 

“In what?” she questioned almost in a whisper. 

“In meeting you,” he said seriously. 

Like creatures mesmerized, they both yielded; no 
longer trying to subdue this cower stronger than 
their own wills. 


Il8 A ROYAL HEIRESS 

“How often will you write he asked. 

“How often will you.^*’^ she returned. 

“Every day, and you.^^’’ 

“I will answer every letter.’^ 

There was a slight pause, and then a burst of 
merriment as had never before been heard within 
the old halls of Brightwood. 

“She is mine, mine,^’ and his brain became con- 
fused by the repetition that galloped through its maze. 

Yet with all his excitement he was looking quietl}^ 
at her, robed in a long tan morning gown of soft 
material, with richly corded and embroidered sleeves, 
an unique filigree belt with mosaic jeweled clasps, in 
her hair loosely curled and piled like a jetty helmet 
around her head, a half-blown rose. 

As they stood there together, words seemed to 
strain their bonds in efforts to break from the lips of 
each, words of love, a passionate, happy yearning 
love, words of longing that brought a torturing pang, 
words of hope, whose gleaming star they both now 
fondly dreamed of seeing, of anticipation, which in 
their breasts bore no lurking shadow that reality could 
unveil, words expressing every thought to bring the 
glow of pleasure and, alas, the sad and fateful word, 
farewell ! 

For every “good-bye has the shadow of death.’’ 
They but felt the unity of joy, however, the promis- 
ing mystery of the future obscured by a necessary 
delay. 

The sweet-scented air filled the room, how close 
they seemed to each other, the very atmosphere 


A ROYAL HEILESS 


II9 

around them vibrated in perfect harmony of union. 
How close, aye too close, the poetry and illusion of 
another moment would surely level every barrier of 
discretion. 

Since the evening before he had that jealous feeling 
of protecting affection which was at once a joy and 
menace to his peace of mind. 

Fumbling in artificial interest with the jeweled 
clasp of her belt, not daring to lift her face to the 
plainly speaking radiance of his eye. 

“She is like a perfectly tuned instrument;’’ he 
thought, not trying to conceal the admiration in his 
glance, responding to the slightest touch, her manner, 
look, voice, and speech, are expressed though and in 
concurrence with the harmony within.” 

Regina’s head had not been filled with weird and 
magic tales of enchantment or pageantry, knights 
and chivalry, which stimulate to excessive romance 
the untutored brain of the young, but his whole 
aspect of mind and unpretentious elegance imparted 
to her mind how gallant and truly noble he would 
appear with, “cloak and plumes and housings, and 
the stir of jeweled bridle and of golden spur.” 

She felt his hand on her hair, he gently removed 
the opening rose, “to give me something beside the 
phantom thought to take with me,” he whispered. 

Their hearts beat violently, intoxicated they man- 
ifestly forgot their surroundings, everything at that 
rapturous moment, but each other. 

There was a sound like the birds stirring in the 
ivy outside the window, he tried in vain to concen- 


120 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


trate every effort to resistence, the attraction was 
irresistible, they abjured the vigilance of wisdom, he 
raised both arms the movement full of entreaty. A 
half-faltering, half-eager step, another and stronger, 
impregnate with the bravery of her love, his arms were 
closing around her, her head sinking lower and lower 
till it lay upon his breast, they were borne away 
transformed, and, rudely awakened to the present 
time and place by the cheery voice of General Clare- 
mont just outside the door* there was no start of 
guilty apprehension, he dropped his arms, she raised 
her head, and they stood looking calmly into each 
others eyes and thus the general found them. 

This time he understood the situation. Eltham 
experienced a vague feeling of revulsion at his daring 
intrepidity but turning easily, he talked at some 
length, on the circumstances of his going. 

For once immediate speech failed Regina. She 
knew now that he loved her, yet the paroxysm of 
transport she felt was slightly marred by a half-slum- 
bering reproof. But she would not listen to it, life 
with him would be a festival of unstinted love and 
happiness. They would marry and very soon, long 
engagements were a bore, often worse, they cooled 
youthful ardor, hers should not be checked by so 
foolish a formality, she wished to marry him now, 
to-day, this morning, at once. 

The old saw “marry in haste, came to her mind, 
she dispelled it with more courage than prudence. 

“I am not like other girls,” she thought, “Ido love 
him, I will not repent at leisure or repent at all. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


I2I 


How can I live with him away two weeks 
Then she mentally called herself to the bar of a 
searching examination. 

^^Are you wise?” said the reason. 

‘‘I love him;” said the heart. 

“For his beauty?” 

“I do not know, I love him.” 

“Who is he?” 

“I do not care, I repeat again, I love him.” 

“What is he?” 

“He is now all to me that is enough for me to know. 
“But if an obstacle — ” 

“There must, there shall be none, I love him, love 
him, love him, to all your catechising conscience. 
Reason, Wisdom, I make but one reply, said Heart: 
“I love him with all my soul.” 


CHAPTER XVIL 


It seems but usual destiny that they should grieve 
and bend or break, when too defiant in demands, 
these hearts of ours. 

He was saying good-bye to her father already. 
Was he really going so soon? yes, now, for he was 
holding her hand, she heard, she was sure, his voice 
say, “a letter every day,” but that was all for the 
time. 

When she opened her eyes again both Eltham and 
her father held a hand, and there was a strong pun- 
gent odor in the room. 

“Why Reg!” said her father, “is this the girl who 
boasts of steel and iron in her composition? Dear 
old sweetheart, she don’t know herself, does she?” 

“Don’t, papa,” she said and stopped as if not to 
trust her voice further. 

They saw it would take but a word to make her 
weep. 

Eltham did not speak. 

They had both fully awakened to something new 
and hitherto unknown to each. 

He dropped on one knee by her side. She shivered 
a little but not with cold, then opened her lips to 
speak, he also was about to say something, simulta- 
neously they pause, ’twere better not said yet. 

123 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


123 


She closed her eyes, General Claremont was draw- 
ing the shutters, one of the lace curtains caught, he 
stopped to disengage it, his back to them. Eltham 
pressed her hand, raised it to his lips, one two, aye, 
a dozen kisses, and rising abruptly to his feet he 
said farewell. 

Regina did not stir, but as she heard her father 
wishing him a safe return and close the hall door, to 
which he had accompanied him, she buried her head 
in the satin cushions and burst into tears. 

Returning, the general drew up a chair and sat 
down by her in silence. 

At length she said: “Papa, did you ever love any 
one before you met mamma. 

“Your dear mother was my first true love, Reggie. 

“Had you ever seen anyone you thought you loved 
before?” she continued. 

“All men may have a dozen fancies, child, but only 
one true love.” 

“And may a woman have a dozen fancies and only 
one true love? How can we tell if it be the true, 
on what hypothesis can we assert the passion genuine 
and lasting, for only with the first can we expect the 
last. Do you think that I really love Eltham? I 
know I do this moment, but may not the knowledge 
of to-day prove a deception of to-morrow? Is there 
such a thing as knowledge when applied to the affec- 
tions, how can we swear that we zvill love any one 
forever, how do we know that we canf That is the 
marriage ritual love, honor, obey,/<?r li fe ! honor and 
obey may be possible, the latter any way, but should 


124 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


we ever dare to swear to love till death? Should 
they dare to do that? and yet I would now swear to 
love him through all eternity, now, now, do you 
hear me, father, through all eternity, and that word 
is blank to computation/’ 

“Reggie, Reggie, try to sleep, you alarm me!” said 
her fond father. 

“Sleep! I want to talk; talk of him, of Eltham, 
of Bertrand, talk of nothing, think of nothing, dream 
of nothing, but him.” 

Not replying to her wild words he sat in silence; 
all the past came before him onq^ again. Why had 
he not told her, yet why should he tell her, how a 
secret galls when kept from one we love. Would 
she forgive him that sin, the one above all others she 
despised ? 

He looked down at her as she lay one hand under 
her flushed cheek the other still fingering with the 
jeweled clasp at her belt. 

“Is there more wrong or danger in spoken words 
than actions may imply?” she questioned suddenly. 
“Silence is not golden, it is cold, pale silver, there is 
cruelty in words witheld.” 

There was no cruelty in withholding the words on 
his lips, and they should never be spoken. She 
should marry this man in due season. 

“You shall suit yourself, Reggie, I believe in your 
judgment since you are so convinced of your love.” 

“Dear, dearest papa! I have told you every thought 
of my heart, I know he loves me in return.” 

“He couldn’t help it, my darling,” her doting father 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


125 


answered, thinking as he looked at her how her 
mother had filled him with a whirlwind of love, 
ambition and often unreasonable jealousy. 

Regina inherited her spirit from the general, her 
beauty and charm, from her mother, though General 
Claremont was a handsome man. Macie came in 
with a bunch of brilliant dahlias and placing them in 
a vase at Regina’s elbow stood awaiting direction. 

“Go down to the cottage, Macie, and have the 
children brought up to spend the day,” her heart 
would not let her forget them even in its new great 
love. 

Now more herself she felt a burning tinge of shame 
that she had so plainly revealed her feelings by falling 
unconscious at the thought of a brief separation. 

“Did I fall, papa?” she now asked. 

“No, Eltham prevented that, whether he expected 
it or not he seemed prepared.” 

“I shall be ashamed to see him again,” she said in 
a tone of vexation, then questioned again: 

“Had his manner a tenderness he might not have 
bestowed on any one under like circumstances? 
How did he act? what did he say?” 

“He said nothing, but acted as if had you two 
been alone there — ” 

“Now, now, are those kisses for your old father, 
or his words.” 

“Both, you best of good fathers.” 

“I presume if I had not been here he might not have 
kissed your hand at parting.” 

“Did you see that, father?” 


126 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“Yes, saw and heard/^ 

“Well, was it wrong, or would it have been even 
had it been — the other?’’ 

“It would have been unwise at least,” returned the 
general. 

“No, no, it would have been right, for he is loyal, 
noble, possessed of no sentiment but honesty and 
goodness. Can y^ou not read his character in his 
face? It would not have been wrong,” she ended 
with an excited and fervent sigh, which evidently 
personified her settled convictions of fate regarding 
their lives. 

The children now arrived, and lying on the couch, 
they romped and played about her absorbed in their 
little joys and pastimes. Now and again she would 
close her eyes and muse in a sort of sensual drifting, 
without intention or analysis, whether it were a 
delight of brain or emotion which occupied her, rapid 
pleasing rebellions, blissful thoughts, poetic delights 
of a casual fancy, whirling wildly hither and thither, 
fleet as a second’s duration, then vanishing to reap- 
pear, broken yet scarcely interrupted, melodious with 
the breath of happiness, impregnate with the vol- 
atile essence and perfume of love. 

Her face veiled in this languorous reverie, what a 
miracle of tenderness was the witchcraft of this pas- 
sion, how much of the adventurous, gallant and 
poetic there was in his character; had he lived in the 
earlier days, popular traditions of bravery, and 
romantic legends of great deeds, doubtless embellished 
by the genius of the narrator, would have been handed 


A royal heiress 


127 


down to posterity. Plow uninviting indeed are pure 
facts, much of the pith and charm of history is the 
fiction it embraces. Some historians make Mary 
Stuart’s life a romantic martyrdom of poesy, the 
fettered soul of a saint, she wasy revolting, a fanatical 
if queenly martyr, a false, wicked, unwomanly, 
woman and queen. 

A woman’s heart contains greater mysteries than 
even magic can explain. 

Eltham was now far on his journey, and did he 
think of her.^^ the brief moment he had held her in 
his arms had not once left his mind, he held her 
still in a sentient memory, which made no endeavor 
to escape its enchanting bondage. 

At the coming on of the evening Regina sat down 
at the organ. The solemn tones of the instrument 
filling the place with an air of holiness. Improvising 
strains that revivified her soul, an eloquent perpetua- 
tion and communion in that higher potentiality of 
inspiration consecrated by nature to the organism 
sanctified by the attainment of ideality. 

The children listen in the nurses’ arms, sitting in 
quiet interest, while Holly pulls up an arm chair by 
her side and seems enraptured with the melody. 

And now they are going, a loving good-bye, a kiss 
all around and they are gone. 

As she closed her eyes to sleep, she thought, what 
one has known and loved, will live forever in the 
brain. 

******** 

Four days passed, with every day a letter couched 


128 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


in most friendly terms, no word of love. This morn- 
ing he wrote: 

trip has not been entirely barren of hostile inci- 
dent. On leaving the train at Chicago, I was accosted 
by a hungry, ragged and altogether miserable looking 
wretch, who begged so humbly and piteously to carry 
my traps, consisting of my satchel and gun (for I 
brought that along thinking there might be some 
sport still on the prairie) that I waived through his 
urgent importunities the services of the porter and 

permitted him to carry the things up to the L , 

where I usually make my headquarters. Ordinarily, 
my suspicions would have been aroused for he was a 
low-browed, cowardly looking specimen. 

“Proceeding to the elevator, I noticed as I turned 
after entering, that he was looking at the register. 
I attached no importance to it, however, and being 
worn out, I retired early, after sending a line to you; 
falling asleep I dreamed of some one far away; from 
that pleasant rest I was awakened by a creaking 
sound, and opening my eyes, you can fancy my con- 
sternation to see a man half way through the transom. 

“I let him enter sufficiently far to make escape 
difficult, and knowing every thief is a possbile mur- 
derer, I slipped my hand under the pillow to feel 
sure of my revolver and then asked if he had made 
a mistake in the room or person. He evidently 
thought he had made a mistake in both as he did’nt 
reply. When uncovering my weapon I ordered him 
to light the gas, in trembling fear he obeyed and you 
may not be surprised to learn that it was the wreck 
who brought my luggage from the station. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


129 


“How he entered the hotel was a mystery at the 
time, for his appearance was enough to cause his 
arrest, but we learned after he had entered from an 
adjoining roof. 

“Still covering him with my revolver, I rang and 
had him taken into custody. As he lit the gas under 
fear of my command I noticed he concealed some- 
thing^ telling the watchman whom the bell-boy sum- 
moned he demanded it. A bottle of chloroform 
proved that he entertained the fear that I might be 
troubled with insomnia or need some inducement to 
sleep to the successful termination of his enterprise. 
I made no complaint for he was apparently one of 
those men unfortunate in capacity, though possibly 
a criminal through preference. I heard later who he 
was or had been, a sort of pettifogging lawyer who 
never reached the dignity in his practice of affording 
an office outside his hat and being unfitted to the pro- 
fession he turned his mind to a more congenial occu- 
pation. The proprietor was not so lenient as myself 
and the impression is that he is good for two years 
at Joliet, for it seems this is not his only offense. 
His name was Chas. Bradly or Chester Bradford or 
something similar. I took little interest to remem- 
ber. 

“Don’t let your sympathies dwell with regret on 
his prospective punishment, for I assure you prisons 
were built for just such rascals, the air of its discipline 
is the only air they can freely breathe. 

“I start north to-morrow, and shall soon be on the 
home stretch. Need I say how impatiently I hope 


130 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


for the hour and the great pleasure awaiting me of 
call once more to Brightwood. 

“Yours in Sincerity, 


Eltham. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


Eltham had been home three days. The morning 
after his arrival his groom came to Brightwood with 
a note, inviting its mistress to ride, and a part of each 
day since had been spent in a like manner. 

It was the twenty-fifth of October, a warm beautiful 
day, they had been riding some hours. 

Now standing, looking off at the Palisades, those 
rugged heights which extend along the western shore 
of the Hudson for a distance of thirty-five miles. 

Never tired of discussing the grandeur of the 
scenery, the beauty and magnificence of the river, its 
political and social history. That the discoverer 
often crept into their talks was but natural. 

‘‘Who can fathom,” she said this afternoon, “after 
the elements had so fiercely disputed his passage at 
every turn, the joy, wonder, and hope of Hudson as 
he sailed through the Narrows into our present New 
York bay, and from his anchorage beheld the rippling 
waters of the noble river flowing from the blue hills 
on the north.” 

“No one,” returned Eltham, “yet how that joy 
must have sunk to despair, could so stout a heart as* 
his yield, when he entered the stream on the follow- 
ing day, fully persuaded on account of the tidal cur- 
131 


132 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


rents that the river flowed from ocean to ocean, to 
find as the highlands fifty miles from the sea were 
passed that the stream narrowed and freshened. 

“Yes,” Regina replied, “but must he not have felt 
as though transfigured into some mysterious hero of 
the old sagas of the North, at the deputations of 
dusky Indians who in wonder and awe came from the 
courts of the forest to visit him ?” 

Standing on this eminence, they fancied they could 
almost discern the clustering peaks of the distant 
and shadowy Adirondacks. 

Passing along the margin of the river they would 
ride hours over the hills amidst the wildest mountain 
scenery, sometimes exchanging a wish, half earnest, 
for the novelty to dwell for a time in the heart of the 
forest. Living upon trout and venison the common 
food of the wilderness. 

She glanced sidewise at him, how nobly he sat his 
handsome.horse. Imagine him in stout shirt, coarse 
trousers and heavy boots, soft felt hat or cap, how 
picturesque he would be in anything, stalking home 
with some wild thing over his shoulder, herself pre- 
paring the supper of game or fish by the huge fire 
camped by a rippling cascade, solitude unbroken save 
by their own voices, or that of a wild deer hound 
dashing by. 

The ground strewn with the delicate sprays of the 
hemlock and balsam, making a sweet and pleasant 
^ bed. Then wrapped in blankets, sit in the darkness 
hand in hand watching the pla}^ of fire or moonlight, 
in the languid ease of a satisfied present. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


133 


All this would be a rude but fascinating life. 

Such were some of the thoughts they exchanged 
this afternoon, riding slowly along, with enthusiastic 
comments on the gorgeous cloud pictures, which 
produced a scene such as the eye seldom beholds. 

But suddenly the sun became hidden, the vision 
faded, thick clouds came rolling over the mountains 
presaging a heavy storm. It grew intensely dark, the 
hills around presenting a magnificent appearance in 
the weird gloom. 

Above the boulders which partially formed a 
rocky bluff, they beheld an ominous flash of lightning, 
immediately another sullen roll which seemed to 
shake the very earth. 

What was to be done, fully eleven miles from 
home, near no habitation. They could not reach 
home certainly before the storm broke, they must try 
for the nearest farm-house. 

Both horses feeling a little fresh from the loitering 
ramble struck out in springing leaps across the 
country. 

Absorbed in the one thought of reaching a place 
of shelter, both riders were silent. A splash of rain 
warned them of the near approach of the storm, 
a few moments more and the swift whirling rain 
causes them to halt in consultation. 

Eltham looking about, suddenly remembered a 
little cabin he had noticed some time before,, which 
had evidently been built for the shelter of some woods- 
men. It couldn’t be over a mile, and at his proposi- 
tion that they seek it, his companion gladly assented. 


134 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


The wind was rising almost to a tornado, the rain 
coming in rapid sheets. They must turn back a 
little, the thunder and lightning now followed each 
other in rapid succession almost deafening and blind- 
ing in its fury. 

To reach the hut they must go through the forest 
for some distance. 

Eltham rode ahead, Restive balking a little at the 
unaccustomed pass. 

He turned to take the bridle, as he had done once 
before in his yard at Baisely, but Regina would not 
permit it even here. 

“He shall follow where your horse leads,’’ she said. 

Through scraggy trees and thick wild shrubbery, 
over streams fringed with delicate brake and fern, 
over the most difficult ground imaginable with dead 
trees and logs lying everywhere, some charred and 
burned, others lying prone with their black rugged 
roots pointing in all directions. Through this laby- 
rinth they pick their way down a steep, winding path, 
they reach the rustic spot snugly hidden away under 
the lee of a hill. 

Thoroughly wearied they hailed it thankfully. 
Eltham jumped to his feet. 

“This is not so bad,” he said, leading her through 
the narrow door at which he had to stoop, but she 
passed through unscathed, her head just came to 
his chin, she noticed now. 

Eltham constructed a comfortable place for her 
to sit, by removing her saddle, and placing it across 
a piece of timber. She was drenched and her teeth 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


135 


chattered with the cold and chill of her wet habit. 
He noticed how wet it was as he lifted her down, 
seating her, he looked around for some wood. 

Gathering the twigs together that had been blown 
in during the fall gales, and placing a large pile of 
logs that had been but litle damped, he soon had a 
blazing fire. 

Regina thought it the pleasantest thing she had 
ever known, this fire, this solitude. His handsome 
form moving about in the shadowed light with now 
and then a jocular remark and witty phrase regarding 
the conveniences at hand, trying to make things 
cheerful. 

He led the horses to the side which offered the 
most protection, tying his under a spreading oak, 
and Restive under another, some distance apart and 
from the cabin. 

Under these trees which seemed to cling to their 
leafage longer than the others, they suffered little 
from the storm. He then returned, bringing his 
saddle and the two blankets which they had fortu- 
nately used that day. 

He laid the saddle down in a corner and walked up 
to the fire, removing his gloves and stretching his 
hands out towards the inviting warmth, his bronze, 
red beard changing to ruddy gold in the flickering 
light. Regina tried to keep up her spirits as she 
asked the time, expressing the wish that the storm 
would soon pass. 

Eltham looked at his watch, it was quarter past 
three. 


136 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


The storm seemed to increase in fury. Drawing 
up his saddle he stood looking at her a moment, and 
then sat down by her side. 

What expressive eyes, he was everything a lover 
should be. Her saddle was mounted a little above 
him, and as he now looked up into her face, she 
turned her eyes to the fire and shivered slightly. 

In a second his hand was on her shoulder. 

“How careless of me,’’ he cried, “you will get your 
death; here take my coat, it is perfectly dry inside.” 

“But my waist is wet through, it will dry quicker 
left uncovered.” 

“You must not permit it to dry on you!” 

“What else can I do.?” 

“Remove it,” he said, his eyes and tone expressing 
deep regard for her health. “Certainly you should, 
you must, you cannot let so serious a matter pass, 
as a possible injury to your health, through the fear 
you may display immodesty, or commit an unpardon- 
able breach of etiquette, take off your waist.” 

How could she, yet her reason told her it was 
but sensible and right, if not imperative. Yet she 
hesitated. 

They had already been here twenty minutes, and 
the storm seemed even worse if anything. She un- 
fastened a 'button, why should she pause, how many 
strong constitutions had been wrecked by a cold 
taken under such circumstances. She was quiet so 
long he turned from the door to which he had walked, 
and asked, “Why do you hesitate, Regina.?” 

That was the second time he had ever called her 
by that name. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


137 


“I hesitate,” she answered, rallying, “through 
childishness, a mawkish sentiment I above all others 
should be ashamed of, now; give me one more chance 
to make my toilet,” she said smiling, and he turned 
again with an answering smile, tapping a tattoo 
accompaniment on the edge of the opening that 
served as a door. 

He heard the sound of the unbuttoning dress, and a 
low laugh as she slipped her hands through the sleeves 
of his coat, and crossed its ample widths in double 
breasted folds and secured them with her long hat pin. 

“There’s a difference in the fit, but doesn’t it feel 
more comfortable.?” he said as he turned. 

“Very much, indeed,” she replied. 

“Now hang your waist across those pegs — no, give 
it to me,” and taking it from her hand he spread it 
across the pegs, saying as the steam rose from its 
warm surface, “that will soon be dry.” 

“Feel warmer now.?” he said, seating himself in his 
old place at her feet. 

This was a moment he had prayed for, to sit with 
her just like this, away from all the world. 

“I feel perfectly warm and comfortable now,” she 
said. 

“•Are you happy, too.?” he asked. 

“Very, very happy.” 

What a fond delightful moment to them both. Fate 
had misplaced nothing. 

“Who could have dreamed of such an ending to 
the day. Are you disappointed, Reggie.? are you.?” 

Her father’s pet name; with what a world of love 
he spoke it. 


138 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


She looked through the door space, at the tree 
capped hiJls. 

Every word that fell from his lips touched her 
heart. 

The wind wails around them swaying the frail 
structure in its fierce power. 

One of the horses neighed, recognizing it, she 
said: 

“Restive is afraid.’^ 

Reaching up he took her hand saying, “Are you 
afraid.^’’ 

“No, I am not afraid with you here.” 

He pushed back the long sleeve of his coat bearing 
the white wrist, and following her eyes with his own 
through the aperture, he laid his bearded cheek upon 
her hand in silence. 

“This is happiness; sing to me, Reggie.” 

She could scarcely still the beating of her heart to 
reply. 

“What shall I sing, Mr. Eltham.^” 

“TbV. Elthem\ don’t call me Mr,, Reggie,” and he 
looked as though about to fold her in his arms. 

“I should call you Mr. — ” 

He put a finger on her lips. 

“What shall I call you.^^” 

“By what name do you think of me.^” 

She felt her face grow hot, but it was too dark for 
him to see plainly. 

By what name did she think of him.^^ by what name 
did she not that conveyed the meaning of love. 

“What,” he asked again, “Bertrand.^” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


139 


“Sometimes.’’ 

“Eltham.?” 

“Often.” 

“Anything else.?” very softly. 

“Fd rather not tell you now, just yet.” 

“Yes, tell me, darling.” 

Her hand gave an involuntary movement between 
a tremor and a pressure. 

“Did you ever think that of me, sweetheart.?” 

She was silent. 

“Did you, dearest.?” 

She drew a long sigh. 

“Answer me,” he urged rising on one knee. 

Regina looked in his eyes. 

“Tell me quickly, now or — ” 

He was so near she felt his breath like an aroma 
of perfume float across her cheek. 

“I think of you very often, by the title of a book.” 

“Oh,” a little disappointed. 

“My Love — ” she began, he stopped the words with 
a quick impassioned kiss. 

“My Love and Noble — ” 

He put both arms around her, drew her close, 
close. 

“‘My Love and Noble,’ what.?” he repeated, his eyes 
looking into her soul, his lips just escaping hers to 
let her breathe the words. 

“My Love and Noble Lord.” 

“Ah!” 

The sound of the warring elements, the surging 
rushing torrents, were unheard. 


1^0 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Closely hemmed in, sentinelled by lofty pines which 
seemed to view with groans of anguish the downfall 
of their weaker brothers, crashing limbs and broken 
boughs. That the storm itself did not cease, was 
unheeded and forgotten. He was at her feet, his 
head lying on her lap, the firelight playing on their 
faces, both her hands held clasped under his chin, 
he unloosing them every second kissing them over 
and over again, those dear hands, sweet hands, his 
hands. 

Then as if resting his head more comfortably, he 
closed his eyes saying: 

“This is heaven; sing my angel.” 

And in a low voice she sang to him, every charm- 
ing melody, pathetic ballad and song of love she could 
recall. 

Men are big babies, she thought, disengaging one 
hand to run it through his hair, now she turns a wave 
the other way leaving his forehead bare, how white 
and smooth the little spot, she kissed it, then laid 
her cheek on his brow, all the time singing 

Was he asleep.^ she listened pausing in a line which 
ran, “Fond hearts break when love,” — he opened his 
eyes lazily, “Go on, dearest, what breaks fond hearts.” 

“I think they break,” she said, “when love loses 
this, and this and this.” 

“Ours must not break,” he said holding her so hard 
she couldn’t lift her head, “nor shall it ever lose this 
and this and this.” 

How exquisite is the happiness we call the folly of 
love. 



“ Our love shall not die; nor shall it ever lose this, and this, and this. 





f 



\ 


•^7 


V • . ' 


-/ 


# 




\ 


‘*V 


i 


I 




\ 


I 


.<*'•- 


•s- 




f' ^ 



VI 


A ROYAL HEIRFSS 


I4I 

Now she is singing again, he talking and their 
voices seem to blend in musical rhythm. He was 
saying with half closed eyes: 

“There is in music an attractive language without 
words, which unconsciously creates sympathy and 
exerts a powerful influence over the imagination, the 
impassioned swelling and retarding notes of the voice 
seem to breathe a soul in sublime unison, the music 
and musician become as one, and this music and 
musician are one, and all mine.^^ As he concltided 
these words there was a long blissful silence unbroken 
by either. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


Presently Regina said, “How much is lost to 
nations who never kiss.” 

“Foolish nations,” he replied. 

“What is ‘kisser 

“Anglo-Saxon,” he answered, “and doesn’t it in- 
stance how pleasant Anglo-Saxon can be?” 

“What is its derivation?” 

“It is said to be allied to the Gothic ‘kustus,’ a 
proof or test to the Latin ‘gustus, ’ a taste; one writer 
I recall said; a kiss is ^a gust, a taste, a something 
choice. ’ Rowena, the beautiful daughter of Saxon 
Hengist, is given the credit of introducing kissing into 
England, yet, were the natives so wanting, it seems 
as if the Romans must have anticipated her. The 
Romans had a pleasant word for kiss,” he went on, 
“osculum, from os, the mouth, and meant a little 
mouth, a sweet mouth. ^Give me a sweet little 
mouth,’ would be the phrase used by a little Roman 
boy when asking his mamma for a kiss. Our English 
word appears much the same in German, Dutch, 
Swedish, Danish and Anglo-Saxon. It is worth re- 
membering for, natural as kissing may seem to be, it 
is a practice quite unknown to the Australians, 
Maoris of New Zealand, the Papuans of New Guinea, 
the negroes of Southern and Central Africa, the 
142 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


H3 


Laplanders, Esquimaux and other wild nations. 
They have, however, most of them reached a stage 
beyond that of rubbing their noses together/^ 

“But we have not,” she said with a laugh in which 
he joined, for their noses were at that moment in very 
close proximity. 

“The Aryan people believe kissing to be a veritable 
union of spirits,” he said. 

“I once heard a lecturer say, that among some 
nations or tribes in Africa, if they felt a very deep 
or moving attachment they would spit upon each 
other,” she said. 

“That's nice,” he answered, and they both laugh 
immoderately at his droll sarcasm. 

It was growing late. 

“It must soon clear,” she said looking at the dark 
sky and pouring rain “What is the time now.^” 

“Nearly six o'clock,” he answered. 

“Oh, I wish it would stop. Had we not better go 
at any rate. It will be soon too dark to find our 
way.” 

“We will go if it does not cease shortly. I saw,” 
he went on reverting to the old subject again, “that 
during a late election somewhere abroad a woman 
offered a kiss to all who would cast a vote for her 
husband.” 

“What do you think of it.?” she asked. 

“I think,” he said, “any woman whose vanity or 
greed for position is so inordinate, is too promiscuous 
in caresses, to be very partial at any time.” 

“Would you be willing your wife should be kissed 
for a vote or a hundred — ” 


144 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


^^Not for a thousand! or an unanimous election to 
any office, even though it be the chief one within the 
power of the state or country to give. My wife must 
not be kissed, or ever have been kissed by another. 
I do not speak from a motive of sentiment, but 
safety. A woman who permits the freedom of a 
man’s embrace before they are engaged lovers, but 
stimulates pride of conquest, and satisfies no function 
but vanity And one too fond of admiration will 
sooner or later cast a shadow upon her husband’s 
name.” 

“The woman you marry must never have been 
kissed?” she asked in a still voice. 

“No.” 

“And you, no doubt, you have been attracted at 
some time, kissed one or two, may be three, or — 
what then?” 

“True, I may have done so, but it is a different 
matter, entirely so with a man.” 

“I do not agree with you. I will not allow that it 
is so different a matter, any more or less pardonable 
in you than in the woman you marry. If it is wrong 
for one, it is equally so for the other, and it is this 
very ‘another matter,’ or ‘a man’s a man’ theory, 
that to-day encroaches upon all society, and blackens 
the whole surface and interior of civilization with 
injustice and disgrace. If it is not right for me to 
kiss a man, to be kissed, why then have you kissed 
me and doubtless or possibly hundreds of others? 
Why do you tempt me to an indulgence you condemn 
as an evil? I am not your promised wife!” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


145 


“Reggie!” 

“I am not!” 

That was true. .So thoroughly did she seem to be 
his, so wholly had they appeared to belong to each 
other, the omission of that usual formality escaped 
him till now. 

“You have kissed me many times,” she continued. 
“I once heard a man say, every man will try to kiss 
a pretty girl, and when a man marries one he may, 
safely believe that she has been kissed before. Why 
do women deceive? because the laws and privileges 
governing the sexes are so unequal and restrictive. 
A woman who loves a man should kiss him if she 
wishes to, for no honorable woman encourages for a 
moment a love she has not a right to give, or for a 
man who has not a right to return it. You would not 
dare tell me that I was the first woman you ever 
kissed, would you? would you dare to tell me such a 
falsehood? No, for you know that 1 would not be- 
lieve itl” she cried, with a slight tone of asperity in 
her voice, rising excitedly and then seating herself in 
the same manner. 

There was something in her breast that gave infi- 
nite pain, was it jealousy? 

“Yet you would expect, nay demand of the 
woman — ” 

“Don’t speak so, Reggie dear, tell me — ” 

^^What! if I was ever kissed?” she answered in a 
cold disdainful voice. 

She anticipated wrongly. 

He was about to say: “Tell me that you will be 


146 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


my wife,” for ever since she had said: “I am not 
your promised wife,” he had thought of nothing else, 
scarcely heard her words, 

“What if I had been,” she went on, “how would 
you know if I chose to lie, would you believe me?” 

“I should always believe the woman I love.” 

“I believe a man who loves a woman should not 
ask such a question, or think of it at all when she is 
his, that should be enough,” she said. “Would you 
love her less if she had?” 

“I will not say that, I should fear to make her my 
wife,” he answered. 

“I think a man who honors a woman with his love, 
should trust that her pride, and self-respect would 
always guide her to judicious and womanly conduct, 
but should she have been guilty of bestowing a kiss 
of affection, of even an indiscretion, or error, what 
is that to the man who knew nothing of her, she 
nothing of him, at the time of its occurrence. They 
meet years after and love perhaps with true devotion. 
Why must a woman confess every act of her life, the 
world so frowns upon to the man who asks her hand 
in marriage? 

“It is all well enough to say, ‘Don’t do wrong,’ 

‘ Don’t fall into sin,’ but girls constantly do, then 
what is their duty? to tell the world, or one, the one 
who seeks her hand, or no one? 

“The last is right, no one. 

“How many girls, girls of respectable family, 
cultured rearing, and religious teaching, have in the 
first dawn of womanhood slipped and fallen, yet the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


147 


circumstances were such t’:e world has remained in 
ignorance of it, unusual thing, her sex did not betray 
her passion. Is it her duty to tell to the man she 
loves, perhaps with a depth of devotion, that her own 
life would not be too great a sacrifice did circum- 
stance seem to make that sacrifice imperative or a 
duty. Loving this man with her whole soul or may 
be not loving him, but contemplating a union for a 
home or a dozen other reasons for which marriages 
are made in our time, why must she say, ^Before I 
accept you, I feel it a duty to make a disclosure, then 
perhaps you will not accept me. ’ One can fancy the 
blush of shame and grief too, no doubt, with which a 
sensitive, proud woman would make such an acknowl- 
edgment.’^ 

Her tears, scarcely restrained, her faint voice and 
hesitation, attest her suffering. This is the story of 
many. 

“When I was sixteen my brother returned from 
college on a vacation, with him a friend, Hal Winters. 

“My brother was grave and talented, but Hal — 
Ah well, he was not my brother! He was handsome 
and debonnaire, and often told me I was beautiful, 
sometimes that I was an angel, and those words were 
ever pleasant to hear from his lips. His manner was 
gentle, deferential, so unlike the lads about. He 
would succeed in life, he had learned to perfection the 
art of flattery. Every spare moment we spent, 
rambling through the wooded valleys and pine shaded 
hills, he telling me thrilling tales of love and romance, 
of daring youths who perished for their love, ofgriev- 


148 


A ROYAL HEIEESS 


ing maidens, dying for the same. Interesting stories 
told with the delivery of a scholar and the warmth 
of a lover. 

“Sitting for hours in the languorous stillness of the 
aromatic pines, but those days could not go on forever. 

“Six weeks had flown, he must return to college. 
She is awakened to their transgression, her heart 
aches with the pain of knowledge, may be, not yet, 
with a sense of disgrace. Her secret is safe. He 
will not, perhaps, boast of conquest, if he should, 
men have been known to lie, and then again, she has 
a brother. 

“After years, years of truth and purity, she meets 
a man she does love, then is a suffering only woman’s 
heart can know. But that anguish is not enough, 
that one misguided step, debars her from his sacred 
love. Now she must lay her secret bare to the one 
being whose love and respect she craves, and to be 
happy with, requires. 

“Do you say she should cast herself before him in 
this humiliation, would he love, respect her still, 
gather her to his heart and say with a fond kiss of 
manhood, H love and esteem you just the same. 
We will live it down together and hand in hand forget 
'the past and any fault that may have been within the 
life of either.!^’ 

“Oh no, he will not say that, he could not marry 
he7\ she the mother of his children Impossible. 

“Could she have been one of the goldfish at his 
friend’s rooms a few months before however (assum- 
ing that goldfish possess the power of hearing,) she 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


149 


would doubtless have been much surprised that so 
virtuous a creature had a history, she might have 
heard this narrative, ‘Yes, I’ll settle down, I guess; 
there’s nothing in it. I’ve run the scale, the gaunt- 
let. I started pretty young. When I was only 
eighteen I got into a scrape with one of our girls, the 
boss gave her a hundred dollars and saw her through 
all right. But just as I was leaving college I came 
near being floored by Nina Livingstone, she was 
decidedly pretty, by Jove, she was that. The most 
serious time I ever had, though, was with that little 
vixen, Hetty, she was a sharp one. I kept her three 
years, but I never loved any of them, as I did Loie. 
She nearly swamped me, too, with her extravagance. 
Yes, I guess I’ll get some nice little girl and get 
married.’ 

“He never thinks he is sinning, does he ever think 
of his child? Yes, his child by a servant girl, being 
reared at the cost of the state. Bah! you men with 
fine notions of honor. Women are made of too soft 
a stuff to battle in life with men and all the odds 
against them. The law attempts to enforce chastity 
in one sex only, thereby defeating its own aim. “Who 
is the guilty one in this case, I ask you that, Mr. El- 
tham, who.?” 

Eltham did not speak, or attempt to, he stared at 
her as one dazed. 

She felt she was saying more than she really 
meant, but a tantalizing spirit of irrational femininity 
spurred her on. She felt a bitter pleasure somehow 
in defying the mockery of our customs to him, at 
this moment. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


J50 

“The scarlet letter! to think that women were 
ever compelled to wear this symbol of signifi- 
cant disgrace and social ostracism. A man will 
rarely overlook, but if he appeares to, and they 
marry, she has placed herself at the opening of their 
domestic life, in a position to easily awaken distrust 
and jealousy. He would be apt to forget that she 
needn’t have told him, and only remember that she 
had. 

“Goethe said, ‘who would call that credulous fair, 
a wanton, who, deluded by false promises, has yielded 
to the temptations of an artful seducer.’ I think 
some husbands would, and in sarcastic inference or 
pointed accusation, ignore the fact that a woman 
proved her worth, her love, and purity of conscience, 
by relating so bitter a truth. 

“No, women should keep their own counsel as men 
do theirs. There is more honor and happiness to be 
gained in refusal without explanation, than in out- 
spoken candor for approbation or indulgence.” 

“Great God!” Eltham groaned aloud, and follow- 
ing that groan was one of the most terrific peals of 
thunder that ever fell on human ears. A wild startled 
neigh from one of the horses and the next instant 
Restive, his broken bridle-rein dangling, crashed 
through the dripping underbrush into the forest out 
of sight. 


CHAPTER XX. 


Eltham tried to think, but his mind was swerving 
in a thousand whirling eddies of despair. 

A maddening thought seized him to get away. 

He sprang to the door in an attempt to arrest the 
frightened animal, but was too late. Regina also 
sprang to her feet, he was rushing into the storm in 
his shirt sleeves, she called him once, then again, 
he turned back, and slipping his coat from her 
shoulders she held it towards him. Her long white 
arms gleamed in the deadening fire-light like polished 
marble. He snatched the coat from her hand and 
hurried out. 

Reaching the tree where his horse had been tied, 
he paused. 

There, beneath the great spreading oak of a few 
hours before, but now split and rent by the lightning’s 
blast, lay his magnificent stallion Nilah — dead. 

Stooping in the rain he gently stroked the soft wet 
neck as he said: “I would to God the shaft had 
reached me, too!” Had he at that moment been at 
the top of the cliff instead of the bottom, his wish to 
die would have been verified. 

At that moment he would have killed himself. He 
could not have conveyed through the medium of 
language the torture that wrung his soul. 

151 


152 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


He put his hand to his head, his hat was gone, he 
had not felt its loss. He stood entirely unprotected 
from the torrent, but regardless of all sank on the 
fallen trunk by the side of his dead horse, and buried 
his face in his hands. 

Meantime, what was Regina doing. 

She never could control, when started, her high 
strung and often exaggerated feelings for her own sex. 

If she had spoken truly, it was unwise and certainly 
unnecessary, he was not the world, to air her doc- 
trines to him would redress no wrong. She could 
not recall what she had said now. She remembered 
saying that a woman should keep her own counsel, 
yes she said that, and also words, many too, that 
could encourage misconstruction. Now she reflected 
deeply, what must he think? She knew what he 
must think, and she felt as if she should stifle in her 
misery. 

Could he suspect her truth. 

Might he fancy she used as an example an actual 
case and that case — 

She cried aloud, at the agonizing thoughts crowd- 
ing her brain. 

‘H will call him!’’ she ran to the door, but pride 
caused her to halt, no, she would not call him. 

Reaching up, she took down the waist of her habit, 
buttoning it with a troubled brow. Then she sat 
down again. They were separated, she must live her 
life without him, all her future alone. How the pains 
of life jostle its pleasures and the maze of dissatis- 
faction rests upon it all. 



“ What must he think of me? ” 








\ 





A ROYAL HEIRESS 


153 


“No, I cannot endure it!’^ then her heart hardened 
in a stubborn resolve to let events take their course. 
She would neither call him nor offer any explanation. 

That he could doubt her a complex feeling of 
anger and shame suffused her face with hot, rebellious 
blood. Whatever suppositions he might be capable 
of, let him suffer for them, and she would suffer too, 
but would not speak. She had no thought of tears, 
her heart seemed deadened by its grief. 

There was a crunching of the twigs outside and 
Eltham entered drenched to the skin. Shaking his 
coat out he kicked a smoking log until it burst into a 
blaze. His face was calm. 

Regina thought how his nobility of form exalted 
the beauty within, how tender he had always been in 
his manner to her. There seemed all of a sudden a 
wonderful awakening in her heart of the power of his 
great attraction, no passion for the man, but an over- 
whelming affection, as one might feel for a child 
seized upon her. 

He felt that her eyes were fixed upon him, his 
heart was loyal to itself, he knew he was beloved 
and that dispelled all doubt or fear. He despised 
himself now that he could have for a second felt a 
suspicion of her. 

“I must have lost my senses to think ill of her,” he 
thought. 

Had she ever committed a wrong, he knew he 
could have forgiven it. He would have made her 
his wife at any hazard content with her present love, 
and let the past, whatever it might or could be, rest 
in its grave forever. 


154 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“Reggie 

She did not answer. 

He turned his head to look at her and held out his 
arms. 

“Come to me, dear, come.’^ 

“I cannot,’’ she said. 

He walked over to her side and lifted her to his 
heart. “Forgive me, darling.” He kissed her, and 
her eyes filled with tears. Happy tears that he still 
loved her and so generously took the initiative to rec- 
onciliation with no ado. He drew her down by his 
side and passed his arm around her waist as her head 
sank upon his shoulder with a faint sigh of satisfied 
ownership. 

He was hers, all hers, that was enough. 

“I have serious news,” he then said. 

She laughed, her laugh with its ring of truth. No, 
there was no secret in that pure soul, she was gold 
and unalloyed. 

“Don’t tell me, I am too happy,” she answered. 

“I must tell you. Restive has broken loose and 
Nilah is dead.” 

“Poor Nilah,” and she passed her hand up around 
his neck, “how dearly you loved him. Oh, I am so 
sorry.” 

“I did love him,” he said, and there was almost a 
tremor in his voice; “but there is something much 
more serious, my child, do you not realize our dread- 
ful predicament.^”’ 

“Our predicament,” she said slowly, and then like 
a spark of lightning, the truth flashed upon her mind. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


155 


^‘You mean that we’’ — she paused, a dreadful fear 
coming over her. ^‘You mean that we must spend 
the night here!” springing up in alarm. 

An awful look overspread her face, followed by a 
marble paleness. She swayed as if about to fall; he 
held out his arm to save her, but she recovered her- 
self, stood erect, calm and motionless as a statue, 
then, like the flitting of a shadow darted across the 
room, through the door, into the darkness. 

The rain had ceased. 

On with the fleetness of a deer she flew, Eltham 
in mad pursuit. Suddenly catching her foot in a trail- 
ing vine, she fell, striking her head on a stump and 
rolled onto the soggy earth, unconscious. 

There she lay, taking her in his arms, he bore her 
through the darkness to the cabin. She felt a strange 
easy movement and now and then something touched 
her cheek, and hair and brow, not kisses, but the soft 
pressure of warm love lips, she stiired a little and 
looked up, was it night or day, for the moment she 
could not realize, the fire was so bright. 

Then she heard his voice, which fully roused her, 
saying: 

‘‘Foolish girl, you might have been lost and died 
from the exposure, had I not been close upon your 
heels, how could I have found you in the darkness, 
lying there unconscious as you were.!’ 

“I regret more than words can tell this dilemma, 
but there is no remedy for it. We must stay until 
help comes, or daylight directs us. 

“Can’t you bring a little of that philosophy into 


156 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


this situation. Let us try and wait it out as best we 
can.'^ 

‘‘Oh, we cannot stay here!^^ she cried. 

“But we must, now don’t struggle to get away, I 
shall not trust you again.” 

“What shall we do, let us try to find our way out!” 
she said in despair. 

“No, we shall stay right here. We never could 
find our way.” 

Holding her hand, he took his handkerchief and 
wiped the mud away from the bruised palm on which 
she had fallen. 

Then he straightened out the fingers, one by one, 
toying with them more meditatively than carelessly, 
and suddenly asked without looking up: 

“When shall we be married?” 

“You have not yet asked me to marry you.” 

“Say when,” he returned taking no notice of her 
remark. 

“Not until I have been asked.” 

“To-morrow?” 

“Ask me,” smiling a little. 

“Shall it be to-morrow?” 

“You wretch!” 

“It is to-morrow,” he cried as they both laughed 
and sealed the strange proposal and unspoken ac- 
ceptance. 

“What can compare to happy love?” he said. 
“Ambition? No, with it no power or glory can com- 
pete. The father who lays in the green turf his 
loved and lost, the mother who has learned a tender 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


157 


memory to revere, the husband who weeps in silence 
and despair, the wife who kneels in submissive faith 
and trust give back the lie and all declare ambition 
to be vile. I have you now, you are my promised 
wife, tell me, whatever your reply may be, remem- 
ber before all I adore you, have you ever loved 
another?’^ 

“No,” she said frankly, “I never have; never loved, 
never kissed a man in my life but my own father 
until— well, do you believe me?” 

“With my whole heart,” he responded. 

“I mustn’t ask any questions, I suppose,” she said. 

“You may, but don’t. Be happy in the knowledge 
you have my absolute and fondest love.” 

“I will.” 

A long pause ensued, during which he drew her 
down on his knee, loosed the braids and let her long 
hair fall over her shoulders in a flood of raven meshes. 

He was mentally reading her characteristics. 
These fine silken strands of shining hair denoted her 
exquisite taste and intelligence, no pouting lip indi- 
cated the presence of timidity, but slightly parted 
were a proof of her open, generous nature, disclosing 
the regular teeth a usual guaranty of culture and re- 
finement. All these he read with much interest and 
pleasure. Then he pressed his finger tips on her 
head locating the different faculties with the usual 
spirit of investigation, found in the lover and believer 
of any art or science. 

Love of home, was very large, reverence somewhat 
lacking, combativeness medium, language full, music 


158 A ROYAL HEIRESS 

largely developed, all the higher qualities including 
benevolence and friendship, proved to him that nature 
had vied with herself in a munificent bestowal of her 
best gifts to this beautiful girl. 

What a luxury is the silence, broken only by the 
language of affection, a repetition of which to another 
dispels its sweet pervading charm. 

“Now,” she said, “we understand each other fully, 
if you would modify some of my ideas, I am open to 
conviction in all things. I think, however, we live in 
totally different worlds as man and woman, both 
false and at variance with nature. If we are to un- 
derstand ourselves and truthfully measure life and 
what the sexes are rightfully and properly to each 
other, we should be brought up together, just as 
companions under similar conditions, in a noble, 
natural manner to effectively open the prejudice 
blinded eyes of all. Let us like yourselves select 
our own callings, associates and recreations, let us 
receive our own rewards. To live as we desire un- 
hampered by the illiberal forms which, to the logical 
mind, is basest servitude, let us be women fearless 
and independent, in short let us be free. With right 
conditions aiding we would all cease to be that animal 
subject to the law of the survival of the fittest, and 
become rational, noble men and women who lived for 
a useful end, and looked upon the supremacy of 
human life humanly lived as the highest and only 
goal of actual success.” 

“When I was a lad,” said Eltham irrelevantly 
changing the subject, “I remember reading a pathetic 



Love, benevolence, friendship — Nature had vied with herself in a generous 

bestowal of her best gifts to this beautiful girl. 




A ROYAL HEIRESS 


159 


story of a maid who lost her life here among these 
mountains; have you ever read the story of Tennie 
M’Crea?’^ 

“Yes, wasn't she the girl who was made captive 
and murdered by the Indians just before our century? 
We may be near the place; they say the spirits of 
those who meet a violent death, haunt the spots by 
some law of attraction.” 

“You are not afraid of ghosts, are you? This must 
be near the camping ground of Irving's I fancy,” he 
laughed, looking into her face. 

“Ah,” she said fondly, “we need fear the shadow 
of nothing since we have the reality of each other. 
How blesssed we are, there is so often an obstacle 
to love like ours, excessive youth on the part of one 
or both, A fond mother cannot lose her son, the 
chosen one does not meet approval or her parents 
object, then and most frequently of all, poverty inter- 
venes, raising its ghastly negative head to destine 
love to early death or separation. With us there is 
no barrier, my wish is my father’s will and you — ” 

“I am free to choose for myself and know that such 
a happy choice as mine, could never meet with 
opposition.” 

Her eyes looked up at him, a love too deep for 
words. After some moments she said: 

“If I should die first—” 

“Don’t let us speak of death.” 

“Yes, I wish to, we must die, and one of us first, 
you know.” 

“I don’t like the subject.” 


l6o A ROYAL HEIRESS 

“Nor I, but promise me something now and I will 
never speak of it again. 

“I will promise anything you may ask me, dear. 
What is it.^ that I will never marry again.^’^ 

“Oh, no, no indeed, do you think I could be capa- 
ble of wanting one whom I love to be unhappy for- 
ever.? That subject never entered my mind but 
since you have spoken I say now, could you find 
another you loved, marry by all means, but select 
with a quickened judgment should I leave you little 
children.’’ 

“My sweet one, I never should choose another; I 
never should marry again.” 

She pressed his hand to her lips. All women enjoy 
the assurance that they are the only one he could 
love. 

“No, what I want you to promise me is that I 
shall never be buried, take no one’s word that I am 
dead, not that of the most skilled physician, let there 
be unmistakable evidence, then I would be cremated.” 

Eltham moved a little. 

“I don’t think I could, Reggie, no I am sure I 
could not permit it.” 

“You must permit it indeed, dearest; I think it 
should be the law. ‘Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.’ 
I prefer to be ashes, better a thousand times, than in 
the pestilential earth amid the rotting bodies of gen- 
erations, and it wholly precludes the possibility of 
that horror too little thought of and when such 
rumors or written accounts reach people’s ears, con- 
sidered more sensational than true. I speak of the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


l6l 


awful fact of premature burial. I have made a study 
of the subject statistically, I knoiv these cases are 
true. Listen, Eltham. In February, 1876, the 
body of Mrs. Harriet Westerfell of Bloomingdale, 
N. J. was prepared for burial. When the undertaker 
was about screwing down the coffin lid, she started 
up, saying in a loud voice: *My God! what are you 
going to do with me.^’ She expired at once, it is 
thought, from shock. Dr. MacWithey asserted as 
his opinion that it was. Had she been buried with 
that haste that usually attends funerals, she would 
have come to life in the grave. In Holderness, N. 
H. some years ago, a Mr. Drew bet that he could 
drink a pint of rum at a draught. He did and appar- 
ently died the next day. He was buried. Some 
friends came the following day and had his body taken 
up, he had revived in the grave, all the dreadful 
evidences of an agonizing death being apparent. 
On Nov. nth., 1882 Mrs. W. L. Pettit, wife of the 
Teller of the First National Bank of Fort Wayne, 
Indiana, apparently died. The following night the 
watchers heard a faint sigh, and looking at the sup- 
posed corpse, they found her eyes open, she spoke, 
asking for her husband who lifted her in his arms 
from the coffin in which a short time she would, six 
feet under ground, have perished. Is that not enough 
to convince you, they are too common to take any 
risk whatever. 

- “Some years ago in the Assembly of France, a 
debate occurred on the report of the committee 
appointed on the petition of Dr. Carnol, for an 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


162 

amendment to the civil code in the matter of ante- 
burial ceremonies. The French law allows but 
twenty-four hours between death and burial. Dr. 
Carnol declared it to be insufficient, supporting his 
assertions by numerous instances, showing many 
persons were buried alive annually in France. 

“His Eminence, the Cardinal Archbishop of Bor- 
deaux, arose on this occasion and asserted that he had 
saved several lives, while a parish priest, which were 
about to be sacrificed by the indecent haste of friends. 
He said that he had seen a man taken from his coffin 
and restored to perfect health, another of advanced 
years all ready for burial revived and lived for twelve 
hours after. And more, he himself had performed a 
miracle equal to any recorded in the Scriptures and, 
was enough, had it taken place in earlier times when 
people believed in miracles, to have caused him to 
be canonized as a saint. He saw the body of a young 
girl laid out for burial, her face was so natural he 
could not believe her dead, thereupon he called out 
that he had come to save her and entreated her to 
make an effort to shake off the lethargy which op- 
pressed her, his voice penetrated and revived her 
numbed senses and she awoke, came back to life and 
lived for years. The French law was not repealed 
or altered, but remains a blot upon the intelligence 
of the people to this day. 

“In 1869, the month of May, a young lady in New 
Orleans returning from mass supposedly died of 
heart disease. The physician (her own uncle) said 
she was dead. In New Orleans the graves are shelves 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


163 


in raised mounds. On these shelves, the caskets 
are placed, and thrust in head first their entire length. 
The door consisting of a slab is then closed and 
locked as though it were a single tomb. At dusk that 
evening (for inhuman as it seems, she was buried the 
day of her apparent death) the sexton's son on his 
rounds before locking the cemetery, passed the path 
on which her tomb was situated, hearing moans he lost 
his self-possession, in fright he ran to the gate of the 
cemetery, locked it, hurried home to his room, which 
he did not leave till the next day. Then he got 
courage to tell his father, who notified the parents and 
proceeding to the tomb, the most shocking spectacle 
was seen. She had come to life and in her suffering at 
finding herself buried alive, had struggled fearfully. 
Her face and body terribly distorted, the hair torn 
from her head and lying on her breast the lining of the 
casket and her shroud torn into rags, the flesh gnawed 
and bitten from her fingers. Of course the horror 
and remorse of the parents cannot be described, but 
what must have been the feeling of the addle-pated 
coward who might have saved her this heart rending 
experience. I think those who wake in the grave 
may not suffer so consciously as we think, they must 
with the dawning of such a knowledge lose their 
reason at once. In Munich every one, high or low, is 
treated with equal injustice unless the law has been 
changed since I was there in ’81. They are taken 
almost immediately to the cemetery where there is a 
chamber of death. Windows look in upon the 
couches and almost every hour anxious faces peer in 


164 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


at the bodies awaiting burial. Wires are attached 
to the hands and feet so that in case of awakening 
a bell will summon the watchman to bear the body 
away to friends. The custom of hasty burial prevails 
too largely in every country, even in our own, our 
ancestors seem to havo adopted the rule for a century, 
the sooner the dead are out of the house, the sooner 
will they become reconciled. Rev. William Tennent, 
of Freehold, Monmouth County, N. J. when a young 
man devoted himself to the ministry. He went to 
New Brunswick and applied himself so closely to his 
studies that his health became injured. He lost flesh 
rapidly and became reduced almost to a skeleton. 
He grew constantly worse until little hope of his life 
was entertained. One morning while talking with his 
brother of a future life, he sank back and became 
unconscious, appeared to die. He was laid out after 
a time and the friends were summoned to his funeral. 
In the evening his physician and friend to whom he 
was greatly attached, and who cherished the warmest 
friendship towards him, returned, he was much 
affected by the news of his death. He could scarcely 
credit his senses and would not believe it was true. 
He examined the body closely and thought there 
were signs of life. He began to work with it insist- 
ing that the people should be notified not to come to 
the funeral The brother objected; certainly he was 
dead, but the doctor prevailed finally, and continued 
his exertions. The third day arrived, and no hope 
v/as entertained by anybody but the doctor, who staid 
by the body day and night. The people were again 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


165 

invited, and this time assembled to the funeral The 
doctor would not give up and matters reached the 
point when he begged for delay, first a few hours, 
then a half hour and, finally for fifteen minutes. The 
brother came in, the doctor was just wetting the 
tongue of the corpse. ‘Now this delay and working 
over the body of my brother is shameful, useless, and 
must stop at once. I insist that the funeral shall go 
on!’ he exclaimed, and at this critical moment dra- 
matic as it seems the man opened his eyes. Of 
course his relatives and friends were amazed and 
delighted then, but they had ridiculed and insulted 
the devotion of this physician, the only one who 
cared enough to try and resuscitate him. He lived 
for many years and, whatever his malady, upon his 
recovery he was totally ignorant of every transaction 
of his life preceding his wonderful experience; could 
neither read nor write. One day, however, while 
looking at some Latin, with which he had formerly 
been very familiar, it gradually came to him that he 
had seen something of the kind before, and after a 
time, something over a year from his supposed death, 
all recollection and knowledge of the past was re- 
stored. Bruhier, in his .dissertation upon the great 
uncertainty of the signs of death, and the abuse of 
precipitate interments has collected one hundred and 
eighty cases in which persons were treated as dead, 
when life was not extinct. Fifty-two were actually 
buried alive. Four were cut open before it was dis- 
covered that life was present. Fifty-three revived 
after being placed in their coffins, without any effort 


i66 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


being made to revive them, and seventy-one are sup- 
posed to have died when they really had not. These 
are facts. These and many more are known. But 
the unknown, and these form but a small part of the 
great total of whom accident has not revealed their 
woful end. How many distorted skeletons are 
now passing to dust depicting in their attitude an end 
whose horror words fail to paint. A remarkable truth 
in many cases is that trance or a condition of sus- 
pended animation is preceded by an illness that makes 
the supposed death appear doubly sure. No burials 
should ever be made without a severing of the arteries 
that would make a return to consciousness impossible. 
I cannot express to you my feelings on the subject, 
it has been an ever present fear of my whole life.’^ 

“If I am here there shall be no doubt, be sure of 
that, but how could I see this form consigned to 
ashes, he said. 

“But only the form, the body, dear, not the soul, 
the ego, the self, that which animates it, 

“I cannot promise yet,’^ and lifting her head, he 
drew her to his breast and folded his arms about her 
adding: “Try to rest now, how still and grand it is 
here in these old hills. Kiss me.’* 


CHAPTER XXL 


“I wonder where that leads to/^ she said, and rising 
after a few moments walked to a little door in the 
corner. 

Unlatched and swung it wide with a tripple rusty 
creak of its unused hinges, then paused as a cold 
damp air that might come from a dark underground 
passage rushed across her face. 

The hesitation was but momentary, then she 
stepped over a narrow space stopping as she did so 
to unfasten her skirt, which had caught on a nail or 
sharp projection or splinter in the door. 

Then she descended several stairs closely followed 
by Eltham. At the foot they walked along a narrow 
subterranean hall, vaulted with numerous arches 
which opened into other passages and chambers, 
seeming to extend into others again until the ma^e 
was lost to the eyes in darkness. 

Here and there were flaming lights which rather 
than dispelling seemed to add to the gloom. 

They heard voices discoursing in low tones then a 
trembling moan as of some one in physical pain. 

Far off in the distant gloomy chamber were groups 
of shadowy figures and from behind the pillars and 
rudely jutting edges of the rock, strange and un- 
familiar faces peeped, then disappeared. 

167 


i68 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“Oh, let US turn back, I am afraid!^’ she said. 

“No, let us see what’s here,^’ he answered. 

“I am cold,^’ she returned, and walking along, sud- 
denly stepped on some soft smooth thing; reaching 
down she felt a furry surface, and picking it up, he 
wound the warm mantle about her the folds falling far 
below her feet. Now turning to the left they entered a 
place brilliant with light, but entirely deserted. On 
•a large table in the centre was a huge box containing 
uncovered, a collection of pearls, diamonds, sapphires, 
rubies and emeralds which sparkled and glinted in 
thousands before their astonished gaze. They raised 
them in handfuls, the gems passing through their fin- 
gers like crystal drops of petrified vapor glistening in 
the mingling of the various hues, as might solidified 
and lambent sunshine. Millions glided like rippling 
water over their palms, and they smiled and swished 
their hands through them as one might toy with a 
cask of dried grain. 

Strange as it seems, neither expressed or experi- 
enced a wish to possess them. 

To whom could they belong.? Who had relegated 
such spoils to the depths and safety of these old 
mountains.? Vague notions of pirates and robbers 
flitted for a moment in their minds. 

Weary of so childish a pleasure as a fancy for 
baubles, no matter how costly and beautiful, they 
passed along. 

One necklace of diamonds and emeralds Regina had 
a fancy to try on, taking them in her hand she turned 
to him. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


169 


‘‘You fasten it.’^ 

Looking at them with a smile of admiration. They 
were no more beautiful than her own, but they were 
something new. 

“Dost like she asked softly. 

“Yes, but thy neck needs no jewels to enhance it.” 

“My face seems changed,” she said looking in the 
glass. 

She felt his arms steal fondly around her from be- 
hind and turning to whisper some smiling chide of 
encouraging love in his ear, he was gone. The 
passage down which they had come was closed, 
closed as thoroughly as though it had never been 
there, not closed indeed, but had completely disap- 
peared, where it had been was a wall of solid rock; 
not a rough wall marked and shelved with the seamy 
signs and ropy hollows of drill and blast, but a 
smooth polished splendid surface of blue veined 
marble that might have filled the interior of a palace. 

Looking ahead she saw mirrored at her back a 
lovely woman, a dream in misty white and gold. 
The woman smiled, saying, “Come! come!” 

Regina faintly smiled in return, with a feeling of 
uneasiness whose dominant feature was the knowledge 
that she was alone with a stranger, and above all 
that Eltham had gone from her side without a word. 

“ Bertrand ! where are you 

“ where are you,” sounded in echoing mockery 

from the vaulted chambers and roof of this horrible, 
beautiful place. 

“Where is this, who are you she cried again, trying 
to keep down her rising apprehension. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


170 

The woman answered only with another smile, 
repeating, ^^Come! come!^’ 

“Show me the way out. Oh, help me please 

“Where do you wish to go?’’ 

Where indeed, she could not remember. 

“Surely you must know. Can you not see that I 
am lost, lost!” 

“Come then, come with me,” said the weird smiling 
creature, and moved silently away. 

The girl followed, but no longer walked, she dashed 
wildly as if pursued, with a rapidity and terror that 
confused all her faculties. 

This accursed necklace must have some terrible 
charm of witchery or what possessed her? 

She cried again and again as she flew along: 

“Eltham! I am lost, where are you, do not leave 
me alone, oh God!” 

Then there was that dull dreary sound as of the 
ocean beating against the rocks above her. And 
ever as she called, the smiling woman laughed, say- 
ing: “He is not here, he would not know your voice 
even if he heard it.” 

“What do you mean?” cried the girl stumbling on 
the folds of the long garment, and moving dizzily 
aside from a singularly draped box in her pathway, 
while stifling a dreadful sob. 

“He will never see you again, but you may see 
him once more.” 

Then she felt herself floating through the air as 
one doe^ in dreams, sinking to a half stupor she could 
yet distinguish every thing around. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


171 


Borne away soaring into a forest which rang with 
music that seemed to her awed ears and senses like 
a glorious anthem of a million human voices. It all 
ceased. A stillness as of death prevailed. All at 
once a body of gay huntsmen galloped by, breaking 
the silence with the inspiring music of the horn, 
sounding high above the tread of prancing feet. 

They all bounded forward exulting in their happi- 
ness. Foremost in the group was Eltham, he had 
evidently forgotten her, but she held out her arms, 
with a glad cry of joy. 

“Here I am, look, dearest, save me!’^ 

He paid no attention, glancing up at her as any 
one’s eyes might fall on one within the casual range 
of vision, no recognition in his face, no anxiety in his 
manner. 

She was forgotten. 

He seemed to revel in life with no thought or 
memory of the past or her, full of health and gayety 
in the happy certainty of some tangible bliss, a bliss 
she was not of. 

Could he but see her, she knew he would turn 
back, could he hear her voice, he would come to her. 
Oh, the suffering under that thrall and harrowing 
delirium’of impotence and fear she could not cast 
from her. 

He darted through the field and out of sight then 
back again, delighting all the time in some great 
happiness. She heard him call the huntsmen around 
him, how dearly familiar was that voice, why could 
he not hear hers too? 


172 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“I shall go mad! Bertrand! Bertrand! do you 
not know me? Regina. I am here alone, Oh save 
me, come to me!’^ the frantic girl cried. 

Then she heard him laugh, that hearty merry 
laugh of his, and shout: “Make ready for the chase, 
boys!’^ 

He had not heard, at least he had not heeded. 
Sitting his steed with the grace of a young warrior, 
his buoyant laugh floating back to her ears, he rode 
away from view. 

He was unchanged in appearance but she was 
another being, he would never know nor love her again. 

She turned to the beaming creature who had enticed 
her here, and putting her hands to her throat, tried 
to break the chain of diamonds. This abominable 
necklace had bewitched them all. Yet try with all 
her strength she could not break or tear it off. A 
stifling oppressive heat and suffocation took hold of 
her, she felt two hands close with an almost vice like 
grasp around her throat, two dreadful eyes came 
close to her face, eyes no longer smiling and beautiful 
but baleful and malignant. 

“He is mine,” said this siren, “and you have lost 
him forever!” They were both hurled into space, 
by gigantic invisible hands. They kept falling, 
down — down — were they to fall forever? she made a 
mighty wrench from the thing which held her. Her 
unsupportable terror found vent in a loud scream of 
anguish as she struggled with insane fury to get free. 

“Help! help!” 

“My Reggie, what is it?” 


A ROYAL HEIRE..S 


173 


His voice, his dear voice, it was pitch darkness, 
but his arms were holding her. 

‘‘You are here, you are with me, you are mine?” 
she said wildly, and as he tried to soothe her. “I 
have had such a frightful, terrible dream, you seemed 
lost to me forever. Oh, oh!” and she burst into 
hysterical tears. 

“Hush, hush, foolish sweetheart, would that be 
the saddest calamity life could hold for you?” 

“Yes, yes, it would, I could not live should any- 
thing come to part us now,” and she clung to him 
trembling like a leaf. 

“My darling, nothing can part us, you are mine 
now,” he returned. He could not draw her closer. 

“Not yet, Bertrand, not yet.” 

“But so near, to-morrow.” 

“Ah, yes, to-morrow, but to-morrow is so far 
away!” 

“You wish with me ’twere here?” 

She put both arms around his neck in silence. 

“My little wife!” 

******** 

The faint gray rays of early dawn were breaking 
when the weary prisoners heard the baying of a dog. 

“That’s Trace!” she exclaimed, “he will find us,” 
and a few moments later a great liver colored blood 
hound leaped through the door. 

Then came the sound of voices hellowing as they 
came. Eltham answered and in five minutes more, 
Regina was clasped in her father’s arms. 

After explanations they started for the carriage, 


174 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


left with an attendant at the edge of the wood. 
Weak from loss of food and weary from the excite- 
ment and exposure of the storm, the girl walked be- 
tween her father and lover at times almost borne 
along by the latter. 

“How in the world did you ever get into this place 
asked the general with a set, angry look on his face. 

“I acted with a short sightedness that deserves your 
severest censure, general, and regret more than I 
can express the unfortunate result. 

That their accidental adventure would be the sub- 
ject oj gossip and unkind rumors, they all knew the 
tendency of the human mind too well to doubt. 

Explanations would be unpleasant as well as use- 
less exciting ridicule if not unbelief. 

After placing Regina in the carriage well wrapped 
in warm rugs, the general closed the door and beck- 
oned to Eltham. 

Lying back she closed her eyes exhausted. 

“Well, Mr. Eltham, what do you propose.^” said 
the general in a voice and tone unmistakable. 

“I have proposed, general, and this morning will 
verify the acceptance that entitles congratulation. 
Were it possible I would urge that the marriage take 
place before returning home, but she is completely 
prostrated,’’ he said glancing anxiously at the window 
through which he could see the pale face of the 
woman he so loved leaning back amid the rich 
cushions. 

“The sooner the better now, Eltham, we cannot 
hope to keep the affair a secret with the servant’s 


A royal heiress 


175 


knowledge of it.” He turned to give orders to the 
coachman and Eltham, entering the imposing family 
carriage for the first time, leaned over unseen and 
pressed warm kisses on her beautiful white face. 

“My darling, my own wife.” 

A faint color rose in her cheeks, but she made no 
response. 

General Claremont now entered and they drove 
rapidly away towards Brightwood. 

He looked with much concern at his daughter’s 
face, while relating how her horse nobly found his 
way home, his presence bearing the news of disaster. 

At any other time, Regina would have clapped her ' 
hands with numerous expressions of delight at his 
sagacity, but she lay without a word or sign all the " 
way. 

As they reach the house, Macie ran out with a long 
fur trimmed cloak. 

The general alighted; and, leaning over, Eltham 
whispered: 

“Only a few hours more, dearest.” 

Springing out, he lifted her from the carriage 
wrapping the cloak around her and leading her into 
the sumptuous hall of the mansion, standing a few 
moments in low converse. 

With a pressure of the hand, a few parting words 
of affection, he descended the stairs and at the car- 
riage held a short conversation with the general. 

It was arranged that he should return at ten o’clock 
and the three would repair to the city where the 
nuptials could be quietly performed, they leaving at 
once for a tour of the south. 


176 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Everything being satisfactorily settled, Eltham 
bade his adieux and was driven home. 

Immediately upon arrival he despatched a confi- 
dential servant to bury the dead Nilah and remove 
the paraphernalia remaining in the form of saddle, 
crop, etc., then entering the house, jumped into a 
cold bath, emerging from this vigorous exercise and 
toilet feeling like a new man. 

After a hearty breakfast he visited the stables for 
business, giving explicit orders which would cover all 
matters for a month or more, he had a faint idea 
that they might decide to add a continental trip to 
the journey before reaching home again. He would 
like to see familiar faces, visit well-known spots again. 
Yes, he thought to himself, I want them to see her, 
how beautiful she is and how proud and happy she 
has made me. At the house he repeated the same 
orders: 

“In case I should be away,’^ the extent of explana- 
tion he offered. 

It was nearly nine o’clock. This was his wedding 
day, not a bit like a wedding, almost compulsory this 
haste, indeed it was compulsion, her good name would 
be already sacrificed did the world know it. The 
world, that will scarcely believe there is such a thing 
as principle, what right had they to go to this lonely 
spot in the first place, better be drenched a hundred 
times than blast a woman’s fair name. They should 
have thought of these possibilities incident to such a 
risk beforehand, appearances condemn decisively, a 
fact potent against formality is sufficient. Such an 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


177 


occurrence would never be forgotten, never cease to 
be told, with vindictive thrust of doubt and even of 
aspersion. Christians do this. I use the word as 
they call themselves and are called such, but they 
faintly understand and solely disregard the matchless 
teachings of that One, whose name graces the creeds 
they so ignobly follow. 

But why lament the imperfection of human intel- 
ligence and the infirmity of human virtue. 

This Eltham thought as he proceeded on his way 
to Brightwood. Entering the grounds he looked 
anxiously to see if his bride were waiting, watching 
for him. 

He wanted to see her looking forth and waving a 
glad welcoming hand as he met her sight, but she 
was not to be seen. 

He scanned the great paned windows from base- 
ment to turret in vain for a glimpse of her radiant 
face, and his heart sank with an almost sickening 
disappointment. He noticed with a singular misgiv- 
ing that the blinds were closely drawn, and as he 
came nearer the whole place seemed enshrouded in an 
air of sanctimonious seclusion rather than showing 
opulent joy. Telling his groom not to wait, he stood 
on the ornamented stone steps and watched him drive 
slowly away. 

On every hand was quiet but immense display of 
wealth. 

Every appointment of the house and grounds 
perfect. 

Down to the left was a deep green meadow gemmed 


178 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


with purple flowers which looked like crocuses buried 
in its long grass; beyond was a hill which circled 
around at one end so as to enclose this little oasis of 
verdure. In the semi-circle this created, dashed a 
clear stream in a dazzling sheet of foam. By this 
little brook scarcely wider at any point than could 
be easily leaped, had Reggie dreamed her early hopes 
of freedom and doctrines of equity and justice. 

Did he think, all this is the Claremont estate 
coming to my wife as the legal and only heir.^ No, 
he thought but to possess her, no riches but her love. 

The general here met him at the door looking much 
distressed. 

‘‘I greatly fear the wedding cannot take place to- 
day; Reggie is ill.’’ 

Eltharn started impetuously as if to seek her, then 
paused and they entered the drawing-room together. 

‘T think it best to wait a few days until she recovers 
from the adventures of yesterday, she is very feverish,” 
said the general. 

Eltharn was dumfounded; he had not dreamed of 
delay and a superstitious thrill grated across his 
nerves at the thought of it. 

“Why could we not bring a clergyman here.^” he 
asked. 

Regina gave a half smile, with a negative shake of 
the head, saying: “It is not so imperative, what 
can a day or two matter.^” 

He sat down beside her. 

“Yet last night you said to-day was so far away. 
But now, to-morrow, ot the next day does not seem 


A ROYAB HEIRESS 


179 


to be a perturbing time or distance,” he replied with 
a litte irritable fire, and flushing in passionate excite- 
ment he turned away. 

“Last night,” he turned to her as she spoke, “I 
was not myself, waking terrified from a dream. But 
now, when in cooler judgment and under circum- 
stances that urge a slight deferring of our marriage, 
do you think my feelings changed, that I love you less? 
I love you more, if it were possible, more with every 
thought of my mind, every throb of my heart, every 
breath of my life I say I love you more, I cannot 
love you more, for now I love you ^//.” 

“Ah, dearest, I did not doubt it, but this delay, 
don’t you feel better now, let us not postpone it.” 

“I do feel better, much better, but not well. I am 
more tired than ill, more flushed with joy than fever.” 

Yes he smiled. 

“A pure transparent, pale, yet radiant face, 

Like to a lighted alabaster vase.” 

and leaning over the couch kissed her many times. 

“That is why I would wait — to rest. I would come 
to you, your wife, without lassitude or weariness, 
fresh as the dew of morning, jubilant with hope, 
glowing with pleasure, bounding with vigor. I would 
come to you myself.” 

And sitting up, she said again: “I am well, but 
let it be to-morrow.” 

It was nearly one o’clock. 

“You must stay to lunch, Bertrand.” 

“No, I will leave now. Jesse must drive me home. 


i8o 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


I will come early this evening and spend an hour. 
Remember, you must rest, will you promise. 

“I promise.*' 


CHAPTER XXII. 


Regina awoke at five o’clock from a sound, re- 
freshing sleep, her mind filled with Eltham and the 
coming wedding. 

She would be his wife in a few more hours. At 
this point in her meditations Macie came running 
excitedly into the room, her mistress thinking little of 
her evident flurry for Macie was accorded the freedom 
one grants a lifetime servant, until she threw herself 
down in a heap showing a pale and frightened face. 

“Oh, Miss Reggie, something is going to happen in 
this house!” she cried in a trembling voice, 

Regina lifted her head from its soft pillow. 

“What do you mean, Macie.^” 

“I’ve seen a spirit, a ghost!” 

“Stop such nonsense this minute, the darkness 
makes you cowardly. What have you seen.'^ tell me 
at once.” Then as the girl commenced to cry, con- 
tinued more gently: “What was it, now tell me, 
Macie!” 

There was a banging of a blind just outside the 
window at this moment and with a shuddering gasp 
the maid, huddled down by the bedside of her mistress. 

“Aren’t you ashamed, Macie .^” 

“I am so afraid, so thoroughly frightened,” she 
answered, looking uneasily around. 

181 


i82 a royal Heiress 

‘‘Why have you come with your stories to annoy 
me, this evening of all others ?” 

A spectre at Brightwood was too infinitely droll, 
but keeping a serious face, she said: “Well, well, I 
am listening, Macie 

“I scarcely knew what I was about when I came 
in.” 

“You have been in that eerie work-room of yours, 
no doubt, and heard the floor creak for no apparent 
cause.” 

Macie had a little sewing-room in one of the stair- 
case turrets, in an infrequently used and rather 
lonely wing of the house. This was the one re- 
ferred to. 

“No, I was not there,” quickly answered the servant, 
“I had been to the room and lighted a fire, then 
thinking you were resting so quietly, the fancy seized 
me to take a little stroll in the grounds. I was think- 
ing of you as I went along, wondering if we should 
still live here after” — she paused slightly. 

“We shall always live here. Go on.” 

“Surely no creation of fancy occupied my mind. 
Down by the bank which separates the garden from 
the clump of shrubberies to the summer house and 
^entering, I sat down on the stone bench. I was there 
some time, I could not say how long, may be a half 
hour, all the time hoping we would not leave Bright- 
wood, which has been my home for so many years, 
yet also knowing that wherever you went, I should 
wish to go to, —rising I drew my hood about me to 
come in. A figure stood beside me, a tall, gray haired 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 183 

women. She had not walked in nor was she there 
before, but there she stood now so plain, so close to 
my side that I could have touched her. Looking 
directly at me for oh, such a long time it seemed to 
me, then faded, she did not walk, but melted into air 
leaving me frozen, staring at nothing. With fingers 
gripped in the lattice work I kept* from falling, and 
when I could, fled to you. I cannot understand it, 
but I know it happened, it was a warning and some 
one will surely die!” then recollecting herself, she 
threw her arms around Regina crying: “Forgive me, 
my dear mitsress, I don’t know what I am saying!” 

“You never saw the face before.^” 

“Never!” 

Regina believed in the presence of entities invisible 
to the human eye, and under proper conditions 
visible, yet she wholly disbelieved the maid had seen 
anything but an image of the brain. 

“Well, Made, go and take a glass of that wine. 
Here, let me pour it, I know just how much your 
condition of the nerves requires,” and taking the glass 
decanter from the hand of the girl she poured a 
goblet to the brim. 

Macie drew back. 

“Drink every drop of it!” 

“But it will intoxicate me.” 

“No, it won’t, it may make you see more ghosts, 
but you will be- prepared and they won’t frighten 
you so much. Now Macie, my girl,” she said after 
a few moments, letting two white feet slip from be- 
neath the clothes onto the thick rug by the bedside. 


184 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“how’s the grit now, brave as a lion, eh? Then fix 
me; I want that white silk I wore at the Belford 
party, and all my diamonds. I would look my best 
to-night.” 

When the bell sounded a half hour later, General 
Claremont looked up in surprise at the vision his 
daughter presented, then offering her his arm with 
all the ceremony and exaggerated solemnity of mock 
formality, he escorted her to the table amidst mutual 
bursts of laughter, and interchange of merriment. 

Dinner over, they enter the drawing-room. 

“How will I look, papa?” 

“My own Reg, and always beautiful.” 

Noticing a tone almost of regret in his voice, she 
said: “You are not going to lose me, papa!” 

“You can never be so wholly mine again.” 

“Now, I won’t make use of the old dramatic hack- 
ney about gaining a son, but I will say this: you will 
not lose a daughter, and the chances are, you will 
gain several grandchildren; so don’t you look sad a 
minute. I would like to try the effect of a veil;” and 
darting up the stairs, she summoned her maid and 
together they adjusted a long fleecy bridal veil held 
by a coronet of diamonds. Then walking daintily 
down the stairs, she paused at the foot to draw the 
folds closely around her face, not observing as she 
did so a tall dark form glide behind one of the arches. 

She would sweep before her father with all the 
dignity of the regulation wedding step pace, her eyes 
bright as her diamonds which glittered beneath the 
silken meshes of the costly lace, like a thousand 
oscillating points of variegated light. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 185 

The dark shadow disappearing so suddenly was 
Eltham’s. Finding the door open, he had felt 
entitled to enter without further courtesy and did so, 
just in time to see Regnia pause at the foot of the 
stairs. Then he followed her at safe distance deter- 
mined to watch her manoeuvres enjoying unbeknown 
to her, some demonstration of what was now going 
on in that mind, feeling almost sure it was some 
prank of her humorous side. ‘‘He will not surprise 
me, she thought, I shall hear the bell.^^ 

Standing for a second at the double entrance, she 
then proceeded with a stately air at Lohengrin’s 
march sung in a tra-la-la by her own voice, her father 
watching her in smiling amusement. 

Neither saw the form or sober face of Eltham 
nearly hidden as he was by the spear shaped stalks 
of an exotic. 

Round and round in front of a large pier glass turn- 
ing it this way and that, to get a full view and every 
view of herself. 

“Very pretty,’^ she said aloud. 

Then with a low bow, “Accept my congratulations, 
Mrs. Eltham, I forgot, I am not Mrs. Eltham yet.’’ 

Then she walked in a straight line and knelt on a 
little ottomon her back to the door. 

“Bertrand Eltham,” in a burlesque voice of minis- 
terial probity, “do you take this woman,” with great 
stress on the woman. 

“Papa, I think they should say woman, instead 
of this woman — this woman to be your wedded wife, 
to love, etc, understood 


l86 A ROYAL HEIRESS 

''Yes.” 

And at her attempted imitation of the deep tones 
of Eltham’s voice they both laughed aloud, briefly 
interrupting the marriage ceremony. 

"Regina Helena Es — • I wonder if Eltham has a 
middle name,” she said stopping in the midst of her 
own, "well no matter.” 

"Regina Helena Estelle Claremont, do you take 
this man to be your wedded husband — 

"Yes I do, and I want him quick!” 

And half rising with a broad smile, she looked 
right into the face of Eltham. 

Reaching up her hand to tear off the veil, he 
seized it almost sternly, and drew her up to her feet, 
all the time looking straight into her eyes. 

Her smile and gayety disappeared under his steady 
look. 

"Is it a farce, Regina.^” 

"What do you mean.^” 

"Your laughter and light hearted words and bur- 
lesquing, how could you do it? It seems as if it were 
a comedy to you, a farce, while to me — ” 

"To you, Eltham, it is more you would say?” 

"It is my hope of existence.” 

"And what do you think it is to me? This childish 
nonsense was but the freak of a happy heart untram - 
melled by the folly of superstition. I did not inten- 
tionally make light of the ritual, and so far from 
being a comedy, should aught come to mar the letter 
and consummation of this marriage, it would be to me 
a tragedy that would cost me my reason or my life. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 187 

I could not live, I would not live were I a conscious 
being, should we be separated now.” 

“Ah, Reggie, I sometimes think I do not under- 
stand you.” 

“And how can you, how can we understand another 
when we cannot understand ourselves. No human 
heart can fathom the mysteries incident or liable to its 
own potent structure and fantasy. Tell me, Eltham, 
how long were you there .^” she asked, pointing to the 
door. 

“Only as long as you were here!” 

Regina looked for her father; he was gone. 

“I am glad your love for me is so serious.” 

“My love for you is sacred.” 

“You are not angry.^^” 

“Not very angry.” 

“You forgive me.^ 

“I will this time.” 

“Sure.?” 

“Sure.” 

“Kiss me then.” 

“There.” 

“I only asked for one,” smiling. “Don’t you think, 
Mr. Eltham, it was a little bit mean for you not to 
let me know you were there.?” 

“I don’t know; do you think it was.?” 

“Yes, for I might have said or done something I 
would rather you wouldn’t hear or know.” 

“Would you.?” 

“I don’t say I would, I might; we do not always 
evince the discretion a lover’s surveillance would 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


I 88 

insure, I am sure, as it was, I did what I would not 
had I dreamt you would know it. How foolish and 
silly I was.’’ 

“Well, it is past now.” 

“I know, but you have made me feel superstitious, 
ashamed of myself. I feel as if I had done wrong, 
what might, could happen that would part us.?” 

“Death.” 

“Death.?” 

“Yes, death alone.” 

Looking earnestly into his face, she asked: 
“Would that part us.?” and after a pause fraught 
with the solemnity of its very presence, he answered: 

“No, that would not part us.” 

And she knew when he uttered those words, that 
they were true. 

Thinking of Macie’s story, her heart for the 
moment was filled with a chilling foreboding, but 
shaking it off with a resolute will, asked lightly: 

“How do you like your bride.?” 

“As well as I love my wife.” 

“Is she as fair as you could wish.?” 

“Fairer.” 

“As sweet as you would want.?” 

“Sweeter.” 

“As good as you might ask.?” 

“Better.” 

“Then she is perfect!” 

“My ideal.” 

“Ask me now.?” 

“What.?” 







Would death part us? 






; - 1 * : V y- r- . ? «' ij- ^ ■ 

' Ih»'.* -jw-^ • •♦«? '■■'. 1 ' •-- 

^ '^'* ' '• - " 

V >-***'4'*' - «_•* . * • *• . s . ' 

B' •«*.»'- f* - - * - '^ . . i ' * • ■ «. 

fT ^ ^ . 


■ ■ ' • -■--, - • !:. :•■- 
..V*- ' . --• ' S’ : ■ / : ■'V ' f. • ^ 



iJ- 




. . . . . < • . •.- .-'r^ X ^ , r - ■:-,i . ^ - • V • « 

^ *. * V — -■' .t' '“•• *'. ^ ^ • '.> ’i. • ♦ - 

■ • ."S ’-' -| s : '' • -■■ .;.•’ '■ . ' • - 

" .- ; >^:*-'..-s . . ■; \ -1 ^ ■-‘v-’.- - ' s\.' ' : 

. T. " '.* ;v.-;t^;^:'^> V , ‘■... -.S -:V:: 

‘S^- ■ ,',V J^T,; ; _s . ■ 7^” ■ ‘•■:\'-,'** '• '. ' -; ' 

• »' . .••,••'> ♦ - 4 ' ».• V .. ' yV -< 4 V_ ' ^ -I .' ••, 


»• 


\\ 

y\- 






'.T 


^ -<• 

/- V- 
• . « 
> c __ . • 


Y. 

* 

^ 




:■ ■ ■■ --' 7 ; rr- : 

K .r-^ ••’ ••-.A 

A* • • fc # ► ^ - 




H. A 




. ^ 


-•> #> w .. 


« - 


V.' y 

/ ^ ,** 


(• 


, V j ^ • • . ' . 

v5’ -.tv -f • '“ ,^, • ♦tf?-- 

A ^ ' :*-?s 


V r 
:tJ 


f • 


-^■w. 

* ■ 


, 'y 


■xi 


‘1 


— - *. v-'. »;^ As. r ... . 

' . " • ■ a' *‘ .V * s. .* 

'< • , - 'Vi' '■ • 

. ' "*■ ’>•;• .i’> •’ 

’ •*• • ‘.x. "• a 


^ ' r rv 

..V ^ 


>. ^ ' ' 

/ * 4 X “ ■. - ^ 


7 . ■ . 


. ' >7 


-■ ■■ 1 - S vs 


w* ■ 


r ' ^ “T - 




^.' ; 




* • •«'.'- . ’*■ 

.4 « '• • ' 


.- V V>V' .^V 


• - .*/* • * .v' . ♦ V . , ' • ' T - * 


i. V--V- a; -■ 


... V . ^ 




v^--v * ^ 


'' 4 


0 . 


>. . 'W” r- -. 

rtlrff/l '*••;** r ' V.^ '• 

- :.- - -• ,* • . . •. . • •-. -*^ - ■ ■^» 

r_?;SSci- , ■•:•; 



v> ■ :it-Ss 

^ -p-» »••*■> - •»♦. 

. - -Ivf * • s,-v 


t: •> 
« » 


• A i . ..S' .•■^^ *• v»< 

: .X .'■■* i.f. '» • f' V • '. , 

.• ” .••/■• ' .:^«i , ^ < W *■>?•. ' ' * • 


• -T^* ' • . -,, 

' - *7. .•- 




S' : . / 




•• ^ • 




• K 


t -iv <7- .- * - 


A 



S'- S'- ^■•■' 

■ V*? 'O.' '- 

:l JL' • L ' 


> . 


• / 


•' » A» ■ \ 

* . . •. j, _• , - 

V ■ . -'' , *••• 






. -'-^ 




■A . ^, 

- - y T * 

* • . 

► •£.: 7 A ♦ , 


. K 


- * ' . ^ - * < 


>-. 


r • ' * : 


• '- . .4 


■ . y >.* . 

" ^ ' V ■ ■ 

J V Ty^-A , 


% ' 


» * • 

. ** « » 


♦ V 












- r . i ;.• 


^ '• 




■ . - » J V ' '■*' . ..' \ ’ . ‘ 




* * w.'.,,* 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 189 

“If you are as handsome, noble, gallant, good and 
true as woman fondly dreams/^ 

“And you would answer?” 

“More !” 

“Little flatterer!” 

“No.” 

“Little wife.” 

“I will be your wife to-morrow at this hour.” 

“Mine forever.” 

“I have often heard that there is no life without a 
sorrow, it is not 'true; I never had a sorrow, and now 
the blessing of your love makes this life a heaven, a 
paradise to me.” 

“May it always do so.” 

“I know it will.” 

“What time shall we leave in the morning; what 
time shall I come?” 

“When you like. I wish I did not have to part 
with you to-night. I wish I had rallied to the event 
and become your wife this morning.” 

“That is strange; I urged you so hard then.” 

“I know you did, but evening increases my ardor 
for your love.” 

All this time tney had been standing, now he un- 
fastened the veil and it fell like a bank of snow at 
her feet, picking it up he laid it on a chair, and lead- 
ing her to a sofa, sat down by her side with his arm 
about her, feeling as he did so, the gentle rise and 
fall of the supple muscles of her waist, in natural 
respiration. 

Here was one woman who had kept her physical 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


I go 

education side by side with the mental. There was 
none of the fainting delicacy, no deficiency in resisting 
power, here was a woman eligible to wifehood and 
motherhood who knew what the human form should 
be and did not take the fashion plate for her standard 
or model. 

Being an athlete and devotee of the art of sculp- 
ture, and believing the highest perfection of the 
human form attainable, he frequently deplored the 
common haphazard procreation of the race. 

She had closed her eyes a moment. 

“Are you tired, dear.^” 

“A little.’’ 

“Then I will leave you for the last time,” and as 
he spoke, he took from his vest pocket a ring set with 
a large brilliant, and placed it on her finger. 

Amidst renewed vows they formulated many happy 
plans, with tender words that only lovers know. 

They had said good-night, good-night, a dozen 
times already, and yet he did not go. It seemed as 
if he could not. How many times in the sad days 
after, did he think of this night’s parting. Their 
tenacious clinging to each other as though some evil 
would befall them in the separation. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


The morning dawned without a cloud, 

Regina had said to her maid the night before: 

“Call me at eight in the morning. I want plenty 
of time. 

No cloud or presage of storm or trial, no premoni- 
tion of ill that is said to influence the sagacity of 
feminine impression disturbed her, all was serene. 
Dressed entirely with the exception of her traveling, 
which was also to be her wedding suit. A light fawn 
slashed with points of green velvet, a garment though 
not made for the occasion, never yet worn. 

The sound of her father calling her from below 
arrested her. Coming quickly down, she was made 
speechless for the moment by the strange look in his 
face. Opening the door to a little ante-room he 
entered and, as she followed, closed it tightly behind 
her. 

He held a letter, which shook and rustled in his 
trembling hand, then as if his fingers had become 
powerless, it fell from his grasp and fluttered to the 
floor. 

Regina picked it up. 

“My daughter, I am going to tell you the truth. I 
want you to know it, there is no compulsion but 
should any tale ever reach your ears, not probable, 
191 


19:2 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


but from all points I wish you to know all another 
could tell you, and that from my own lips. The letter 
tells you nothing.’^ 

She glanced at it, the substance of which was sim- 
ply as follows: 

‘‘To General Claremont, Brightwood. 

“My Friend: — “I have been ill, am still so, and in 
view of the past, I call upon you now, knowing you 
would gladl}' do all in your power as redress or favor. 
There can be no redress at this late day, but I would 
ask a favor. Come to me at once upon the receipt 
of this, if you are still possessed of the integrity of 
your youth. This request is made in behalf of my 
son. “Yours 

“Luella.’^ 

68 1 W. 6 St. City. 

“What does it mean, father.?” 

“As I said, I need not have told you; but I would 
reveal my life to you, my whole life with no reserva- 
tion. The fear of your censure has kept me silent 
many years. I felt that I was masquerading under a 
garb of righteousness, with a conscience stained in 
sin, a hypocrite to the one thing on earth dearer to 
me than life.” 

He paused, and after an impressive silence his 
daughter made no effort to break, continued: “This 
letter tells you nothing, as T said, but its inference 
of a wrong is unmistakable, I will now tell you from 
whom it is, and what she has been to me.” 

With wide eyes of surprise and sorrow, the quiet 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


193 


listener heard this unexpected tale, a tale whose 
bitterness and guilt were partly obviated by the keen 
remorse and deep, heartfelt, repentance of the nar- 
rator. 

“Some years before I knew your mother, in a town 
where we were stationed for* a time, I met a lady, 
for she was a lady, whose acquaintance casually 
formed, developed into a warm confiding friendship, 
ending in an attachment which would have resulted 
in marriage but for an insurmountable barrier. Such 
attention and familiar intercourse continued between 
a man and woman thus separated, can have but one 
eventual ending, as we lacked the courage to part, 
and I must add, I had not the honor to leave her. 

“For two years we lived a happy and devoted life. 
The blood of youth sees not ahead the day of 
reckoning. She is ill now, would see me once more, 
it is my duty to go, and I believe my duty to tell you 
all. Should I not go.^^” 

“Yes, father, go, as you repent your sin and hope 
to see me live a happy and prosperous life, see that 
you tempt not fate to inflict a penalty of requital, 
as a visitant for my father’s sin. Is it my dear old 
father who once did this, the man I have so loved 
and lauded, he so ready to aid or give, guided by no 
thought but true benevolence. The sin I have spent 
my life to combat, or the results of it. And there 
was — a — child — a son.^^” 

“Yes.’' 

Tears filled her eyes, she had always so deplored 
the fact of having no brother, often saying that was 
he one blessing she would have asked in life. 


194 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“I will seek him out,” she thought, ^^he is my 
brother in truth, and shall be in the eyes of the world.” 

“You will forgive me, Reggie, the deception, the 
deed?” 

“Dear father, you who have been so kind and good, 
so loving and generous always, I could never con- 
demn you at any cost. But it is not I who should 
forgive. This is no place for me to speak. Go to 
her and though late, it may not be too late, make 
her your wife.” 

“My darling!” 

“That is my forgiveness and dearest wish in this 
matter.” 

“You must even show me my duty. I will make 
her my wife, but I cannot to-day. I will not leave 
you at this time, your own wedding day.” 

“Yes, go, she is ill. We do not know how ill. I 
want justice done this woman, nothing shall interfere 
with our plans as now arranged. I shall be married 
to-day, as the past cannot be changed, we can only 
strive to mould the future right.” 

“I will go this hour, and when we meet again — ” 

“When we meet again, I shall be the happiest of 
wives and will greet yours as I would my own loved 
and honored mother.” 

General Claremont could not speak, but drew his 
daughter to his heart and kissed her cheek and hair. 

“God bless and make you happy.” 

“l am blessed, father, in Eltham’s love, and words 
cannot tell my happiness. If the sins of the father 
are visited upon the children, yours have not been 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


195 


in this my generation, and I will hope to guard my 
children from its blight. Now let us forget it all to- 
day, this day of honored union and the fulfilled obli- 
gation of reunion. To repent a sin and direct our 
every effort to its full repair, is all the best can 
do, and all that right and wisdom teaches.” 

Ten minutes later, General Claremont was on his 
way, and that with one little fact untold, that could 
have spared them all the dreadful future. 

Watching him from the porch his daughter thought 
his suffering adequate to his fault, her dear old father, 
all men might err at some time; how we try to excuse 
our own. She was to have a mother — brother — for 
she would find him — a husband. At that point in 
her thoughts, Macie’s story came to her again, a tall 
gray haired woman — could it be she, before he knew 
my mother — Yes, it could. Might she become his 
wife after all these years but to die. A lump rose in 
her throat, guilty or not, she felt a great pity for this 
woman — an insurmountable barrier — her father had 
not said what — had there been no barrier — and they 
married, would she have existed— is soul the expres- 
sion of circumstance only. Eltham would have been 
born the same, of course, as the conditions of their 
birth and being approached no affinity. He would 
have loved — not her — for she would have had no ex- 
istence — but some other — perhaps as dearly — Oh! 

“I will not think on what any philosophy may offer, 
he loves me now, what could have been or might have 
been is naught.” 

A second after he drove up, flying to meet him, 


196 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


he stepped within the door, greeting her as any lover 
would privately greet his sweetheart on their wed- 
ding morn, asking: 

“Why so troubled; what’s wrong?” 

She could not tell him. 

“Father has been called away and I am a little 
disappointed.” 

“There must be no postponement,” he said quickly. 

“Not again.” 

“But you are not dressed,” he answered, looking 
at her morning gown. 

“I will be in five minutes. There is no great 
haste. We must go to see the children before leav- 
ing. I will be ready by twelve o’clock. Dr. Hale 
will expect us; papa sent him word. We can leave 
for Washington by four or five, does that suit?” 

“Yes.” 

“Come then to see the babies.” 

On the way he asked again for the hundredth time: 

“You love me?” 

“I love you!” 

“You’re happy, perfectly happy?” 

“Impossibly happy.” 

“Thank heaven, we shall not part again. I thought 
this day would never break.” 

“A glorious day and world, how sweet it is to live 
— and love.” 

They have returned from Glendale. Regina has 
said good-bye to them all, there amid loving words 
and tokens of affection and smiling, half serious 
admonitions to “be good.” 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


197 


About leaving him for final preparation, she stoops 
and plucks a white chrysanthemum and fastens in his 
coat. 

‘‘Good-bye for five minutes. 

“What, to dress 
“Yes.^^ 

“That means twenty-five!^^ 

“You said that exactly like a husband.’^ 

“Well, I’m beginning to feel the rights of one.’^ 
“Ah, if you never exceed them.^^^^ 

“It is too late for you to reflect now. I may as 
well tell you that I shall rule with an iron hand.’^ 
And as she was starting, snatched her to him with 
passionate vehemence, saying again, “Hasten, 
dearest.’^ 

Putting her arms up around his neck, she asked: 
“You will never grow cold.?^^ 

“I cannot believe I could.” 

“So many men do.” 

“Yes, but have you not thought that wives may 
carelessly or coolly invite it.^*” 

“How.?” 

“By turning a careless cheek, or giving a short 
good-bye, a snappish tone and general air and man- 
ner of discontent is not conducive to make a man 
feel he makes a woman’s heaven.” 

“I believe they don’t half try to agree and live in 
peace.” 

“I know they don’t.” 

“Oh, I would rather die this moment, now, here, 
with thy arms about me, so; knowing and feeling the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


warm responsive ardor of our love, if I believed we’d 
ever live to reach 

“The bitterness of that first hour 
When my lips fail to thrill at my love’s kiss; 

When my love’s love has lost its regnant power.” 

“Yes, life would be past for me, for now I cannot 
live except it be within the sunshine of thy smile, 
the shelter of thy heart. Good-bye, good-bye, good- 
bye, a thousand kisses in this one, till next we meet, 
five minutes hence.” 

Then she sprang from his arms and up the stairs. 

He watched her mount around the curves and then 
turned thoughtfully to look from the window. 

What was there about him to inspire so mighty a 
passion. He could not think he deserved it, but he 
did. A truly noble man is as doubtful of his merit 
as the truly gifted. They often cannot force them- 
selves, and thereby sink beside the more hardened 
spirit of less gifted competitors. 

Eltham was a man whom the most exalted woman 
could safely love. 

A long stretch of country road could be seen from 
where he stood, along which he noted indifferently a 
carriage was slowly coming, yet drawn by animals 
whose spanking sprightly air purports belief in indi- 
vidual ownership and unstinted care. 

They are near the gates and the coachman holds 
his head and reins at the angle and degree of pressure 
which indicates a listening to directions from within. 

He stops; Heywood comes out, there is a moment’s 
conversation, then the gates open and the carriage 
proceeds to the house. 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


199 


A single occupant, a lady who leans back as if 
greatly fatigued or ill. A stranger, who could she 
be — some friend of the family of course. 

‘‘Company, what will happen next to delay us?’^ 

Henry, answering the ring of the coachman informs 
him that General Claremont, for whom he has asked, 
is not at home. 

Macie now appeared to see who the visitor was, 
as Regina had seen the carriage from her window. 
That the stranger could not continue her journey 
was certain, and at this assurance the two men take 
her between them from the carriage. One look at 
the woman’s face and Macie gives a stifled cry and 
rushes pale with terror up to her mistress’ room. 

“It is she! the woman in the arbor!” she cried, 
and fell with a low gasp to the floor. 

“Why, she is not a ghost, Macie; why should you 
be frightened?” 

“I cannot tell, I do not wish to see her.” 

Regina went hastily down to the drawing-room 
where the woman lay with closed eyes. 

Eltham met her, saying: “Who is this? what does 
it mean?” 

At which the girl replied: “I cannot tell; Ido not 
know her!” 

“I will wait in the library,” he returned with a tone 
of impatience that did not escape her. 

“Very well.” 

Going to the side of the lounge, Regina raised the 
woman’s head, dismissing the servants as she did so. 
Richly clad and still a handsome woman with mild 


200 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


brown eyes, that now unclosed and looked at the 
girl, giving her a singular thrill as of a former meet- 
ing. Those eyes, what was there about them that 
so stirred her soul. 

Removing her bonnet and gloves and loosening 
the neck of her dress, Regina asked, “You are ill.^^” 

“Very ill. This is the residence of General Clare- 
mont.^’’ 

“Yes.” 

“And you — ” 

“I am his daughter.” 

The woman closed her eyes with an expression of 
deep pain. 

“And you, are you a friend of my father.?” 

The woman did not answer for a moment, then 
replied: “I knew your father years ago,” and look- 
ing at the girl’s face, she realized that Regina knew 
her story. 

Something told her who this woman was at once. 

“You know?” she asked. 

“My father has told me all.” 

Alas if he but had, bethought, believed he had dis- 
closed every essential fact. 

“You do not despise me?” 

“On the contrary, I pity you. We cannot judge 
another, we should not judge at all. I wish to see 
your past redeemed, to have your name upon the 
roll of honored wives sheltered by the one who shared 
your fault or fall. My wish is also his, and that is 
why you do not find him here, he has gone to you.” 

“I feared he might not come or be too late. It is 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


201 


too late. I shall not live to see the end of day. Too 
late! I made the mistake of a lifetime which a life- 
time cannot repair, our human frailties cannot always 
be explained. When I wrote that letter to your 
father it was in the hope that my son should receive 
his rights — under his protection, and so I felt I could 
not wait. I have never lost sight of him, and thought 
I could die without seeing him again after all these 
years, but I could not. I was on my way — A mother’s 
love — Oh I 

Was she dead.^ she was certainly wandering. 

No, she stirred slightly again. 

Alarmed, Regina rang the bell. 

“Henry, tell Mr. Eltham to come here at once. 
You will find him in the library.” 

At the sound of that name the sick woman opened 
her eyes, a gray pallor passing over her face. 

“Mr. Eltham, Bertrand Eltham,” repeating the 
name and looking at the girl. 

“It cannot be, yet it must — is it Bertrand Eltham.^” 

“It is Bertrand Eltham; do you know him.'*” 

A sound between a groan of suffering and cry of 
joy came from her lips with the words: “I do, I do. 
Oh, bring him to me quickly!” 

Regina insanely felt like giving a demoniac laugh 
and clutching this woman by the throat, strangle her. 
There was an awful something forcing a dawning on 
her brain. 

“She has asked for you,” and going quickly to the 
door, closed it behind her, leaving Eltham alone with 
the woman. 


202 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


A half suppressed unnatural sound issued from the 
girl’s lips, as she paced up and down the long corri- 
dor, how endless the minutes. He had been in there 
just four minutes. What an eternity! She glanced 
at the clock again; five. The woman had asked to 
see him alone. What could she have to say to him? 
what — the talk had been so disconnected — would 
that door never open — would he never call her? 

Hark! tears and sobs, now a hurried ejaculation 
from Eltham. 

Regina thought the terror that conquered her was 
not vain. It seemed now as if the man wept. Yes, 
it was true. Great God! what did it mean? her 
heart beat furiously as if about to stop, a frightful 
unspeakable terror seized her, that terror which 
stops the flow of the blood in our veins, vanquishes 
courage and paralyzes the quivering soul like a hor- 
rible spectre. 

The intensity of her feeling must find vent, she 
could not endure it another second, and darted to 
the door. But ere she reached it, Eltham, his face 
wet with tears, beckoned her to enter. 

‘‘I must despatch some one for a doctor at once.’’ 

But a faint voice from the couch answered: ‘Tt is 
useless, this attack of my heart is fatal. I die, my 
son — Ah, — Heaven bless you both!” 

Another gasp, a parting look and Luella Grayson 
was dead. 

It was not the form there growing rigid in death, 
that filled Regina Claremont with the terror depicted 
on her face, but those last words she had said, this 
woman had said, “Afy 


W ^': '-I ■' ". 



■.wCtf..: ■,. . . JtJfr ' 


'.^''-.S • •*.. ' . • . .^•^>. * V- r>-'- • n-»* ,„■ f «-,-. 



L> 




vV-i!Vv>l.' 

■: 

■„ :: •■• - 


• 0 


7 ^ »• — • <• ^ ’. arww^ 









'. iT 


’■ : 0 - •- *' 4j?V'' , 


/*' 


I-.;" '' V 


• ■ 

1 .' ) 


' ' ■ ' -. . A:'",-/. A:' '"*•* ; > '.^/ ’ ■ ^rTf^S 

- V- V -■ ' y*. . * ^ - -’^/ 

'r 1* .* ‘*r^^ 'v* ' <v’ •*■■’ 



.•'‘iv 


t^ 




■V;/- , 

;»N * • 


- - - 

: -i'’ - ^ ■■■'■^ 


_* * • •* •*' 








- ^'. 
■ I • 



!»'* * ' ■ V - ^ 

• V-.- 


• . ^'. . ^) (* nv 
.* ' ■ • 


■* 




• 

“•V • 


•flp i- V' 




;-• ' ••' ‘v* .• * ‘V^ » '*i 

■ • •; ■ ..^ ■ 

' f, .*-'■* ‘-.^ 

«r-j^ 

'T ' CHj* ' 


••.T. .* .»■ ' J ^ «.. 

-■ ■. V" 

- . ■ .r--- V' V'. >■ ./ •..; 


'4 







t.v. 




4*-’ 


■'r*-- 


i;;>i:rjr' • -'■; ■ 


- o 


• ■■ 
_ #1 . 


*'. 1 


•w- . --V- *.. • ^■’ 


•i j»; 


* ' ♦- 




■••.' • ‘tf'* ^ -• ■ -■• ■;• • h;- • > -■- 

-» • - y* v/ • > • fiv ‘. :* . 

/ -iw ' ^ r* ^- ., y “ •.•♦•*•.:. ' .,*• '. 

;. .--^'V, r 1 ' , '* . -, <- 

ir : n rw-. ; • •. ■^ . ; - ,•*- ■*• •• 


.A 






.Ay- 


)«•%■ 


•'r 



-iT 

.. 1-. ■■'' . 


tr- i 


•.<-v 




•*'' .r- 5i';&^v 


» i 
> 


:-V > 






a 


’ A. 


6‘. 


<vJ^— ' 




. ;- 


. V ' • 

. -j » *■ '*» 





. T 



' i, *■. * • • Jk. 

^ -,..:3; ■ .3^ 


.A . 


t 

V < 


’’•r *1^11. 15 





u 




** H* ijf 




: - ■^ ■: 3,^ :^... . 

i - 


.. t 

. >1 


a • 


I ■ 


*x 

1 


* < 
‘ « 




• > . 


I * y" 


' > 


,ii — . ' - 

Cr*£ - 4 M-.- ‘ :y 

-I '-» 




'y ♦.' 


» , *. 


. y-. 



V.-/.- 


f - -r 


’« • 4 







• * . » 


•' ;t. 


.-X , ; . .• f ’.^--y J 




- > 


r*;si'f..‘> - ; ■ „.- f 

'5*'^y-L 1. • .»- ■ 

.* r V . - t.* 

' Jhr . .- * 


T - , 

. , • 4 ■ 


• vx-".-- 


■ . ,w.Vvi.‘5{^' 

■ •*<»..• -T. ■■• - ^ 

.A * A 


4 . » !»‘ri T} 


V 


) 


V : , 

" . J 


'<1. ' y 


' • . iV 

• I • » - 


I- 


•v^ 


•M> 


-. ■ •% f-’ * • ■-*■•*- , . -4..- --/-.vV :r v‘ s 

. '*-• '.• '. ' - -V ^ ' •■v:, •* ; ' '.*,-• 

- - Jt i'* . ■ . ; ^ •'7*ii- 


4 

-W •* 




•*■ » 


.r 


• ... ’' . V' T. •. , • • •- 

,* * •- » 1, .V •• •• 

V^- . • ■ i. y 

' ••'.*• * * '■' . . ■' ■ *'• •v-vv *>; ^ 

•:. ..: ; .' •- * 

.. V ■, . *• >y" • — ^ •' *1^ 


* *«•• 


*“4 



y* < 




■V ‘ ^ 


. 


»' I t 


j . 




■ • 5. V- 


>1 ^ 


' *1'. 






I * 




4 .• 



• .• ^ri 

• *^2 

- :■■>■■ . y^-;' 


j .. •• . , , f . 

. • V** • ' I 

•' !r*“ ‘fl ‘ “ r*" ‘ 


. fc*- 




• V 


A-/'. 

■ iiv- .' -/ 

. L V'.'* ;• • > 


s ■ r* 


r 

>3 


• » »y 


-• :* kt 




y ’’.v- - S ' 

Lv ■ • -S 



r- •■I/' ■ • - 


1 * 


’ - -'K* 

•A • ^ - w*^ 


/X 

, ■ ■^'- 
1*4 < 


1 * 



Her Son! Her Son! Tis false, a lie, a wicked lie! Oh God! if it were 
true, you Eltham are my brother! 



A ROYAL HEIRESS 


203 


Throwing her arms around his neck, she cried: 

“Merciful God! who was this woman, Eltham, 
what was she to you?” 

“Unknown to me, Reggie,” he replied gently, some- 
what astonished at her frenzy, “she gave me indis- 
putable proof that she was my own mother. You 
recollect that I told you foster parents were the only 
ones — ” 

He got no further. A look that froze his blood 
darted from her eyes, a maddening look that stopped 
the words upon his tongue and quenched his power to 
reason. A shriek sounded down the corridors, falling 
upon the ears of its startled inmates sending dire con- 
fusion and alarm. 

That startling cry which seemed as though it would 
pierce the air for miles around, bore upon its anguished 
tone a woman’s brilliant reason, carried on its fright- 
ful wail a woman’s breaking heart. 

A blighted youth, a vacant mind and blasted life. 

While Eltham heard, yet failed to understand the 
words. 

“Her son! her son! ’Tis false, a lie, a cruel lie! 
Oh God, if it be true, you Eltham, are my brother!” 
she sprang from his arms as the unreasoning laugh 
of madness ended those words, and fell raving to the 
floor. 

Regina Claremont was gone, or that part of her 
which makes the woman, feeds the soul, and creates 
our hope and thoughts of life eternal — the mind. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


To live and yet to be that creature which wins our 
deepest commiseration. 

A being who feels and acts, but who has lost the 
power to reflect. A helpless slave to the unconscious 
diffusions of emotions and fears, when that organ 
which produces thought and all voluntary action is 
disturbed by the perverted confusion we call insanity. 

That wrench of our natures which sets our faculties 
all away, when objects change their relative places 
in the panorama of life, and the world itself has gone 
back to chaos. 

Friends becoming strangers and enemies, and the 
poor brain haunted by horrors that have no existence. 

To become insane means to become in every respect 
the opposite of one’s past self. 

The alienation of friends is'one of its saddest and 
most frequent features. 

All cases vary, however. 

Regina changed little towards any one except her 
father, his appearance was the signal for the wildest 
and most violent ravings and cries. She cursed his 
name and presence, abjuring him in terms of loathing 
and abhorrence to leave her sight. 

Oh, it was sad, sad, this beautiful girl, a helpless 
maniac raving at that devoted father whose lifetime 
204 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


205 


thought and hope had been to shield her from all ill. 
She had been the central point, the point on which 
all ambition and love had turned, and now, she hated 
him with the unreasoning hatred of madness. On the 
other hand, Eltham was her one joy. When out of 
her sight she would spend the time in tears till his 
return, lavishing upon him often the tenderest words 
of endearment. 

The servants moved about as though in the hushed 
quiet of death. The grief that rested upon Bright- 
wood, buried in its sombre cloud the broken spirit of 
a household. 

Now that the first shock had passed, Regina wan- 
dered around aimlessly as helplessly, retiring from the 
sight of all but Eltham. Sometimes entering the 
drawing-room, she would open the piano, now 
always closed, and the jangling discord that answered 
her touch would cause her to steal timidly away as if 
in fear. Then she would creep back, never out of 
Macie’s sight, who apparently took no notice, always 
pretending occupation. 

Touching at times a note of the organ softly its 
tremulous tone would seem to cause a gleam of in- 
telligence as though the lost mind were pathetically 
seeking for expression. The pitiful grief of her old 
father was simply heart-rending, for the sound of 
his voice, though he were unseen, would cause the 
most violent paroxysms of anger to seize her. Words 
of fury and disgust flowing from her lips in startling 
profusion; yet his love and watchfulness never wavered 
in this adversity and sorrow, a punishment he could 


2o6 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


not bring himself to think was deserved. Watching 
her movements from a safe distance, as had grown 
to be a habit, his heart would thrill with hope, as 
something would half arrest her attention, then fall 
to despair as the momentary glance of understanding 
would give place to an absent and uncomprehending 
look. At times a low faint quivering voice, totally 
unlike the one of old, would flaat out on the air, in a 
bar or two of some familiar melody, and immediately 
after, she would answer voices that she said came 
from the trees and clouds, voices familiar to her enter- 
taining always a thousand vagaries regarding herself. 

Why had her father omitted the most important 
and vital truth. Why had he not said at the time, 
the barrier was an indissoluble previous marriage, and 
tell her that the infant product of that ill advised 
attachment, had been a breathing creature of an hour. 
That when he saw it, the circumstance brought him 
to doubly realize his guilt and duty fettering him 
through awakened sensibilities and the inner work- 
ings of conscience, to high resolves which never to 
this day had been remotely broken. 

Yet his one dark sin had after all these years, sent 
its withering curse of retribution to the core of his 
heart and pride. 

On reaching home that fatal day, and all was dis- 
closed to him, his daughter raving in one room, the 
dead woman in another, he opened his heart to 
Eltham, and then learned for the first who the latter 
really was. And bitter as was that truth to both men, 
they were sensible enough to waste no words in idle 


A ROYAL HEIREJ^S 


207 

dissension over an irreparable past, but to combine 
through the mutual love they bore the daughter, to 
bury all reference if not remembrance of the galling 
but unchangeable fact. 

True Eltham felt a natural sensitiveness, but his 
love for the innocent living was far greater than his 
reverence for the guilty dead. This erratic woman 
had been his actual mother, it was true, but his real 
one was she who soothed his infant cry, guarded his 
toddling footsteps, directed his mental growth, and 
lavished on him the deep and holy love which time 
or action cannot change, carrying in its depth the 
germ of sacrifice, the permanent and abiding spirit 
that offers vindication and shelter in every time of 
need. That was his real mother we repeat. 

In dying Luella Grayson had said: ‘‘You are the 
son of an honorable man and woman, for such I was 
at the time of your birth. Failing to agree your 
father would grant a separation but could not, by the 
English law, sanction a divorce.’^ A distant and well 
to do cousin begged her for the child — himself and 
she yielded to what seemed his best interest. Leaving 
her native land for America there then followed that 
period of danger and censurable fault, she could in 
these last moments but briefly allude to. 

She had never lost sight of him, however, and the 
wish that he should inherit her wealth, and be able 
to successfully combat with illegal pretenders through 
the friendship or aid of the influential, had induced 
her to send the letter to General Claremont, the fear 
that he might be too late to see her living inspiring 


2o8 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


her with courage for the last and fatal journey. Then 
came the overpowering wish to see him once more. 
Eltham believed that his mother sinned only in the 
impetuous folly of youth, and not because predisposed 
to evil. Little could they have dreamed that through 
the jumble of imperfect facts, those deeds were des- 
tined to fall in mental blight on the innocent. This 
woman’s self condemnation was great, but true to the 
leaning of her sex she cast no word of reproach upon 
the partner of her weakness. “He would have made 
me his if he could have done so, and strange as it may 
seem to you, considerations of morality alone, influ- 
enced us to resolutions of a rigorous life of honor. 

“We parted through no dreams of sophistry but 
honest conviction of right. I sinned, repented and 
reformed. And when after some years, with his full 
knowledge of all, I became the wife of Hiram Gray- 
son, I proved a true and loyal one against whom no 
arrow of disrespect or suspicion could point. 

“Your mother dies a faithful widow to the man who 
entrusted his name and honor to her keeping.’’ 

The great riches of this good and frugal man had 
now by the law of inheritance fallen to Eltham. He 
was rich, as the fair girl who had loved him with no 
thought of circumstance, and who could now never 
be his. Of what value was it all, she was lost to 
him forever. 

Eight months had passed. 

And of late Regina had exhibited a feverish hurry 
as of preparation for some important event. On her 
face passing a ghostly shimmer that imparted to the 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


209 


weary hearts around, a slight proof of the workings 
of organized thought, the sanity of a transient moment. 
A few days before, her father came up to her and 
looking at him she asked: “What have you done to 
me, why should I dislike you. Your face is so kind.^’ 
But she did not call his name, nor yet cry out in 
hatred which they believed might be the precursor of 
a return to reason. 

How they prayed in those days only they who too 
have felt the smiting hand of Providence can know. 

Eltham long since sold out at Baisely and now 
lived entirely with the family at Brightwood. Gen- 
eral Claremont loved him as his own flesh and blood. 
A few days before, walking to the stable, Regina 
stood a long time patting and talking to her horse 
and ended by ordering the saddle. As he was led 
out, Eltham came up and lifting her in his arms like 
a child placed her on the animal's back. “Shall I 
lead him.^'' and smiling down at him she replied, “As 
you please, dear.” 

Did she know him, he stroked the thin, white hand 
now performing the first sane action for eight long 
months, but she dashed his hopes to earth again by 
looking up into the trees to answer the voices talking 
to her all around. 

The next day they were sitting on the rustic seat 
where she sat questioning her heart in such agitation 
the night they had first met. Looking up at the 
pigeons whirling around the tower in the ruddy sky, 
she exclaimed: 

“I remember you, I remember something you said 
to me!” 


210 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


“What was it, sweetheart?” 

“It was not true! 

He looked earnestly at her. 

* “Try to think; can’t you tell me what it was?” 

His forehead was wet with the dew of a suffering 
suspense. 

“I will help you to remember, was it that I love 
you?” 

“No, not that.” 

“Do you know that I love you.^” 

“Yes, I know, I know,” she answered simply. 

Then her eyes sparkled all of a sudden with the 
sharp forbidding gleam of insanity while words that 
held no meaning even when they passed her lips 
pressed on in ceaseless flow. 


CHAPTER XXV. 


Several months later we find our party settled in 
southern Italy. 

The bloom of health is on her cheek the mind no 
longer a rayless blank. 

Eltham and her father felt they could endure any 
other suffering fate could give, could she be returned 
to them herself once more, the beautiful Reg of old. 

She might yet be Eltham’s wife, and he would 
know the conjugal embrace and endearments which 
he felt, once given, would solace the grave torture of 
these long unhappy months. 

This morning he thought he should go mad himself 
with joy. She had called him by name for the first 
time in full and unexpected recognition He could 
not believe it, what did it mean with her restored — 
perfect happiness, and that is given to no human 
creature to enjoy. 

The night before she could not rest until his head 
lay beside her on the same pillow. All night he sat 
or knelt there, his face against hers, Macie in the 
poftierred alcove, and there he reverently prayed. 
Was that heart appeal answered that she looked in 
his eyes this morning with no sign of that fatal gleam. 

He believed it was and from that moment trusted 
reverently in his God. 


211 


212 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


Searching his face with the troubled inquiry of a 
forgotten past, then her glance fell on the snowy 
laces at her wrist, the gleaming stone upon her finger, 
the only and significant gem there, and a deep color 
came slowly to her cheek as she put her hand to her 
face as if trying to remember. 

That moment her maid appeared. 

“What has happened, Macie, everything is changed 
but you and — 

Then looking at him with such remembrance and 
love, Eltham forgot the presence of Macie — every- 
thing, but that reason had returned and clasped her 
fondly in his arms, crying: 

“You are better, you know me.?” 

“Better, have I been ill.? Of course f know you!” 

An hour later they are in the garden where all is 
buzzing and verdant life. 

Sitting on a low bench at his feet, Eltham 
smoothes her hair and cheek, too happy for words. 

All the past explained and sealed in silence. The 
strain was over, his valor and love was to be rewarded. 
Just one year from the day first set for their marriage, 
were those fervent vows again exchanged. 

Here in the warm Italian sunshine he placed a 
wreath of white blossoms on her head and in that 
moment the disaster of the past was forgotten. 

To Regina the past year was like a series of uncanny 
dreams. It seemed as if she had come from another 
world in which nothing was substance. As her father 
now walked towards them, she raised her hands as if 
in sorrowful and forgiving pity, drawing him down 


A ROYAL heiress] 


213 


beside them with words given often before this morn- 
ing of full and free pardon. 

Of so quiet a nature was the ceremony to be little 
preparation was required; and a week later the 

villagers of L watched with their usual curiosity 

and interest of such events, a small bridal party on 
its way to church. A tall lovely, dark haired bride 
with supreme happiness in her face, love in her heart, 
noble thoughts in her brain, and words of truth and 
loyalty on her lips. 

Regina Claremont. 

A taller, dark eyed groom, hair much more gray 
than when we first met him a year ago. Love; 
fidelity and honor breathing in his every look and 
mein. 

Bertrand Eltham. 

They had begun to live for they had begun to love, 
life is past when love is dead. And never may we 
hope for constancy, when we are ourselves inconstant. 

Three years, happy, love blessed years have passed, 
and we will glance once more at the prosperous and 
enviable inmates of Brightwood before we bid them 
all good-bye. 

It is no longer the happy trio we left in Italy, not 
one or two but three have been added to the heirs 
of those grand estates. We might say four, for Holly 
is now the legally adopted child of Regina and Eltham. 

There are two curly haired little fellows, twins, 
who say “papa’^ to him without the formality of legis- 
lative action and another pinch of humanity whom 
we just catch pulling her grandfather’s hair with all 


214 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


the impudence and freedom of monopolized affection, 
and that inextricable tenacity best known or espec- 
ially identified with the unmeaning yet quite noticea- 
ble infantile clutch. 

Regina Eltham, beautiful as ever, is the center of all. 

No single cloud has marked this happy union, no 
sorrow mars their wedded life. Across the meadow 
is a new and magnificent building. It represents on 
one hand a large portion of the wealth of Hiram 
Grayson, on the other the philanthropy of Eltham. 

During those months of her illness, he had directed 
the care of them all. What was a cottage with six 
little ones, has now become a great institution with 
over two hundred. 

The world is growing better, but those little ones 
multiply, while the trend of all social life seems an 
ever increasing drift in the direction of systematized 
monotony. Inside, if we dig far enough down, each 
heart retains its original quality, but with its inherent 
fidelity so obliterated that only under extraordinary 
circumstances dare we betray it. 

Formalism is the thing that in society gives men 
or women no rest or peace till its ruinous purpose of 
sickening oneness moulds- us all to an exact counter- 
part of each other and leaves us immersed in its soli- 
tary dye of all sufficient potency. 

Then is its laudable purpose accomplished. Then 
too have we reached the great sloping plain of 
humanity’s degeneration. 

Worthy effort and commendable achievement have 
no more important or necessary auxiliary than indi- 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


215 


viduality whose bitterest foe and deadliest enemy is 
formalismo 

To lose originality and become commonplace is 
the essential fate of the majority who dwell under 
and follow the laws of the conventional world. 

And then that world after doing its all to drive out 
and kill your individuality complains in disgruntled 
and malicious truth of the mechanical sameness and 
inanity of its shallow slaves. 

Men and women have become great, stimulated 
and inspired by the contemplation of excellence. 
General excellence is impossible under the stunting 
power of modern formalism and fashion. 

If we would be known for resolution or noted for 
accomplishment, we must not be crippled by restric- 
tion or silenced by one set prejudice, or the annihila- 
ting evil of the unnecessray and superfluous. 

Courage may often be but the stubbornness of an 
iron frame and a dullness of sensibility, while heroism 
may exist in all its height and grandeur in the most 
delicate constitution. Its fullest bloom is from a 
large and loving heart. 

To bide the sneer of our companions by a refusal 
to do what we believe to be wrong, though they 
consider it right, to dare to do a generous deed know- 
ing we sacrifice our own safety, are the true tests of 
the heroic gold within us. 

To take the fallen by the hand without the hope of 
any reward in the form of glorification or a prominent 
place in the sanctuary of the blessed is one test, to 
hope for the equality of the world is another. 


2i6 


A ROYAL HEIRESS 


We seem to have feared the storm when the awak- 
ening of political genius stalked against the iron bar- 
ricade of feudal pride, but to enter a quagmire equally 
feudal in financial and social despotism. 

What is the remedy, is there one? 

We believe there is when once its truth is known. 

Ever remembering the difference between fanati- 
cism and honest enthusiasm is discovered in their 
effects, then ‘‘seek and ye shall find.’’ 

Financial equalibrium only can bring us social 
equality. 


<3 -r. '■ ^ 

THE END 


\ 











0 s 0 ■’ ^ a \ \ <P' 

' ' " f A. ,/u r^'v, 

■ ,,V'' -/'. = 

^ •' - C^ V 

, . s ^ S> J; 

' .V * ^ '' \ '^ I n '~it. 0 >y \'^ 

•" V^' - A 

° .0 0 “ - ' "" “ 

r^ /' ^ o 

"^-, * » I ' ” , , . . “A “ ■- N o 


■"'>'"’;>Ai^v', ■ 

^ ^ ■’o o'^ ' '^J 




0 N 0 ^ > 

/' 

V' 






0 




y ^X>o {t o > 
, '°A * ■, . O ’ >^.'^ 

O C‘ v' 


/I -c ^ 

:-^ ^ X. . z 




ry 1 



/-^ I • I ^ K 


b r -^W 


Vf/ 


* 

<1^ %,,.»' -o'^ 

;l^:-<v ' ^tP v\V’ ^ 

<•/' ^ - 



^ v. 



- .v^' 

^^6 ^ / A ^ s \ '^ '-ir ' 0 :> k 

,0> c*''^ '■ « '<f. ^<.' ‘ * * 

C. > v"^ .„n7^ -' -o 

^ c5Cn ' . ■i'^, '>1^ A.' 

(-n'« = rb<;M3| ^ V? " r 

^ 0 . ^ ^ ^ ^ 

^ ^ .Oo^ 

^ ^:^.^/r,\) w ^ \ y> 

ci5 

p ’ ff I \ ’^ 

\ <: n ^ ' -v\^ 

^ 1 u ^ ^ ^ 

r 






b* 

V v 


, , , , ^ A * ■. s 0 ’ a'" ^ 

y‘ ^ 


» V' 

^ aV 

, ■v' 










i ^ 

• 

^ > <1' n O ^ x'v' ^ 8 I A o’ ^ 

'O *> N * > ^ ^ ^ o^ > 9> 

-r 





C' / a* 

* ■. s 0 ’ A'.^ 

^ \' ^ ' 




O 


:iK'¥ *■ v!’' 

a V .VJ'^ '' 

0*^ c “ ^ 

^ <x ^ *> 

„ \ ✓ «t 


A 




» ^ oY- -? 

os'' , » ^ ^ 0^ 0 " 

^ 'v. ^ 





CK /- ^ 

-y fl , \ ’'" O 
^ ^ y' , A'’ 


*. OA -< 
rv 

o < 

✓ '=' \^ ct ^ 

'O rV > O V 

-^o 

X ^ ^ 

<» <' f\ f\ 


O 


O /- \' 

rC^ ^ _ . v> ^ vj 

V-, ^ 8 I ' _N 


/• 


^/i = 

' A .> •> % 

K, ^ ^ 


I 


\ 


t, O < O’ ■’" 

'^, ' 0 ^ ^0 

’b. . ^ " '■ <'/'%. A-'-' X 


\ I B 


1> 


( \ " c *< ry 


‘■O^A A 

v\' 

r» . . n . \ ' 




\‘ 


\ 


1} 


N C 


\V d^ 

M' </>- .,, VC- x,v ^ 

■\ . - ■^. ^0- O - . 

X* ^ *\ V 0 ^ 

, 0-, ^0 c 


>- \x ''#?rA^ <” 






/) o 


y •ft o ; O' / 

^ .0 N 0 8 , \ “ 

A- 




\0o 

\ O' 


/• 



> V 

O A\'^‘ ^^-r ^ 

0 K 0 ^ \ V 

A* rA^vS '"/;/'■ c,'^* 

^ -^"'),v. r^ .. f ■ 

= % 


\ 


0 o 


■'S' ,V •^' * ‘**Srl^ * 

> A av , 0/ 



\'>Sr ^ - t ^ i ^ 

' / V '' *A 'O 

' ^ <t ^ . \ lift '^T * 

A' ft ' ‘ ” 4- ^O 

^ ' . '-^ O .. 




., V. ^ ’“Vk 

''(T'S'- ^ A-V 
S/. ^ 0 , 0 <o 

(•O' y - 
0 ^ 


V 

o 0^ 




library of congress 







